Head start on Spring, Mini-Theatres and a Ginger Gem Award

Had a busy day yesterday, generally making a mess and crafting, and managed to get some pieces finished and some started. It was Carnival here in Rhineland, and I belong to those who DON'T like it, so it was a wonderful excuse for a crafty day. Not that I really need an excuse....
I finished a shadow box which has been waiting on the kitchen table for a few days. It was the box from the plastic clock that I altered for the *On the wings of time* Challenge. First I covered it in TH Tissue Tape, and then decided to polish it with inka copper. Now you can hardly see the tissue tape, so I could have spared it, but I suppose we are always wiser afterwards. I painted the rim with some gold structure paste and dipped it in some gass glitter. The box has been filled with some fabric flowers and a moulded head, painted with inka copper, and is for a spring swap on one of the forums I belong to.

Then I saw a tutorial from Lesley D for ATC shrines over on Bella Creations
and decided to try it. I made two as mini theatres, one painted in pink, and the other made from dark brown *sugared* cardstock. They were fun to make!

And while I was on the balcony taking my pictures, I saw that one of the trees in the garden is turning green - what a lovely sight. It's still very cold, 1° outside just now, but the sun has been shining for a few days, and it really looks like spring is on its way!

And I was chosen as a *Ginger Gem* again for my *charms* entry - WOOHOO!!!

Thanks for looking, and have a great day!

More Challenges

Yesterday evening I came back home after spending a pleasant couple of days with a friend. I suppose it's common to all people to do the necessary things first when they get back home - like unpacking your bag, putting things away etc. Well, I didn't. I dropped my bag in the hall and went and checked my craft things straightaway - it was all still there, waiting for me, looking sort of tidy and unused....Of course, I soon changed that! Got down to making some tags. I cut the tags from scrap-paper and used a page out of one of my old magazines from 1899 - which was, unfortunately , torn beyond repair - and cut out strips to stick onto the tags. I distressed the tag with TH inks in gradient colours, and then added rub ons (LaBlanche)and images (Crafty Individuals) and a charm made from a piece of an old necklace with a metal tag put on at the end instead of a bead. Some fabric flowers were added to give the finishing touch, and that was that. I am entering this tag into the GC90 *Charms* Challenge over on Gingersnaps
as my second take on this theme.

This postcard is for the *Simon Says stamp and show some ephemera* Challenge.

The background of clocks and writing has been stamped with resist ink onto the card before distressing with TH inks in gradient colours. The leopard has been stamped with black archival ink and clear embossed, as has the clock at the top right (leopard and clock stamps are both from LaBlanche, the background stamp is from Paper Artsy). The golden clock and frame on the left (stamp from LaBlanche) has been stamped with a Tsukineko glue pad to which I stuck sme gold leafing bits. The chandelier is a rub on, and the tapes on the left side from TH. Oh yes, and I added a game-spinner and a bird cut with a Martha Stewart punch to the top clock. Was fun making something crazy again!
Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Saturday Freebies

Saturday again and time for some free downloadables. I have taken some photos of some book title pages, hope you can use them The first one is from *Hansel and Grethel* from 1889. The title means *H & G and the canibal* - I suppose they mean the witch!

The images look like they have been distresssed by TH personally, but it's just *natural* distress!

This is a page from the Thespian magazine

These 2 pics are from a theological book from the seventeenth century.

Hope you can use some as backgrounds for collages perhaps whatever, have fun!
Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Ephemera Note Book & Paris Tag

Made this little *Ephemera* Note Book for the
Simon Says *Stamp and show some ephemera* Challenge.
I used covers from 7 Gypsies, and the paper has been cut from torchon watercolour paper, distressed with TH inks in antique linen and brushed corduroy. The edges have been stamped with flourishes using Stazon *timber brown*, and I have added some hand doodling and sayings with brown ink. I placed 2 small manila envelopes inside the front and back covers, each containing a manila tag to use for notes or whatever. It has been bound with my BIA. The little sheep on the front cover is the fave animal of the friend who is getting this little book.

I have just shown a selction of the pages.









The Tag is for the *Paris Walkways* Challenge on
Sunday Stampers.

I have used cardstock from TH for the background, adding cut outs of children and a stamped and cut out Eiffel Tower in front to give it more depth. Then it has been stamped with some French sentiments and a postmark. I added the flowers and hearts to finish it, and voila!
Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Art Journal March

Today looks like spring - the sun is shining and the birds are singing but it is still ice cold . At least it gives the feeling that we are going in the right direction....
I made my March pages using spring colours in the hope that it might give me at least the illusion of spring! The background has been distressed with TH inks, then I sprayed it with water and perfect pearls, which made the colours melt into each other and get a nice sparkle. After heat drying I added the paper squares for the days, using paper from this month's *Scrapbooking*magazine. The title has been stamped with my LaBlanche alpha stamps. Added some random stamping with bunnies, flowers etc to give a spring feeling, and some floral rub-ons for a bit more colour.

I also added 2 journaling frames with March quotes.
It was fun trying out my new stamps, the bunny in the grass and the hedgehog, both from LaBlanche, and I am sure I will be using them a lot for spring and Easter projects.
It was, as always fun, kept me successfully from doing any h*******k or that wicked word I*****g, and it does me good to write a few words each evening to recap on the day and draw some positive conclusions.
Thanks for looking, and have a great day!

On the Wings of Time....

Recently I bought a round, black plastic clock from the Euro Shop in Lintorf. There was even a battery with it! As it costs more to buy a DIY clock, this was a bargain.
Yesterday I altered it with structure pastes in gold satin and pearl white, roughing it up with a spatula and a sponge, and then heat dried it to make it *boil and bubble*. When it was completely dry, I rubbed some *Stazon* timber brown over it, before adding *Time*, placing the letters on the four strategic points. I then added some wings (Melissa Francis) which I rubbed with Inca Gold and timber brown *Stazon* again. The little circlet of flowers in the middle has been cut and embossed with a Cuttlebug die, adorned with four small, red gemstones, to match the second hand.
That was it. It was very difficult to take a picture, as the light is not ideal this morning, so I will try to get a better pic later on.

I am entering this into 2 challenges:
Alter it Monthly - theme *Time*

And
Daring Cardmakers - Pound shop pretties
although I know it is not a card!

Thanks for looking, and have a great day!

P.S. The clock even works, and is ticking merrily away on my living room wall!

A Calendar Page

I gave a friend of mine a calendar at the end of last year. I made the title page and January, and promised one page a month. For February, I made a page about friendship, which I forgot to post as I was in a hurry!
For March I have made a page with shades of pink and flowers, and hope that it will invoke a bit of spring feeling, although there is still no sign of it here.
The saying means *Give every day the possibility to become the best one of your life*. I overlaid the top right hand corner with printed acetate, which has been sugared, as have the leaves and birds.
Thanks for looking, and have a great day!