New Art Doll...Alice

Thought I'd post pics of the new doll I've just finished, it's been a long time since the last one.......
Alice.......

She's 18 inches high, from my own pattern, with hand painted features.

Perfume Bottle Swap

This is a necklace made from a miniature perfume Bottle

This is for my partner Melanie who is hosting the swap on Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.

I wanted to use a vintage bottle, but had to make do. I added some filigree finding to the bottom and added a little patina to give an aged look

I added some 'Fairy' Wishes to the bottle, so I hope Melanie's come true!  :)
The tags are Tim Holtz, with a little patina and the dragonfly is Vintaj.
I thought I'd make a box to put the necklace in and this is what I used

With a little paint, lace and a glazed flower, it makes a lovely presentation box!

 I hope Melanie likes it!

The Altered Alice 'Mad as a March Hare'

Thought I'd make something frivolous today. Over at The Flying Unicorn forum they're having a Month of Fairytale Challenges for Alice in Wonderland. One of them is to make a Mad Hatter's Hat.

I'm entering this into The Altered Alice Challenge. 
http://alteredalice.blogspot.com/
I haven't enetered there for a long time and they're lots of fun, and it's great to see the different ideas everyone comes up with, soooo here's mine

And of course one of Busta modelling:

Matchbox Chest

This is a chest I've made from Matchboxes for a swap on the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.
Laura Carson has made a fab tutorial on making these, her blog is Artfully Musing and she's a great artist!
I'm enetering this in the Country View crafts challenge, which is  'Pick and Mix' . You can find the details here : countryviewchallenges.blogspot.com . I always order from thier site when I can as the delivery is free and the quickest I've known!
 www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk

 The perfume bottles are made from beads, and I was lucky enough to find the tiniest feather in my 'feather bag'! for the inkwell, by the way the chest measures 3inches by 51/2 tall

1st Post in a Year!

I can't believe it's been over a year since I posted on here!
My Dad had fought Lung cancer for 4 yrs, but over the last year his health had deteriated significantly, and sadly he passed away on 7th February. He was a brilliant Dad and best friend. We shared many interests, joining Art Groups and visiting museums when I was younger, I'll miss him every day, but I know he's still around, and crafting is a great therapy for me.
One of our projects over on the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group is to make an altered journal book, which is French Inspired. I decided to put photographs in of my Dad. I've made a few albums for friends and my daughter, but not one for myself. So this is my therapy, so many happy memories have surfaced making this.
This is the front cover:

This is the inside

These are photos of when he went to sea in the Merchant Navy. He only went to sea for about 4 yrs till he married my Mum, but it was a favourite time and was always telling stories

The Altered Alice 'Hearts'

Another watercolour sketch this time for The Altered Alice Challenge which is 'Hearts'. I'm also going to make the sketch into a digi stamp, with or without the border.

http://alteredalice.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-1-chapter-12-challenge-hearts.html

Words of Wisdom

This is for the Gingersnap Creations Challenge which is 'Words of Wisdom'. I don't know why, but when I post a photo on here it's not as sharp as it should be! So, you can't really make out the words!!! It says 'You've got every right to a beautiful life'
It's clear enough on everywhere else! How annoying! If you click on the pic it comes up clearer!
http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2012/02/c137-chestnut-theme-challenge-words-of.html

Take a Word........Regal

This is a watercolour ATC of Marie Antoinette, eyeing up the beautiful feathers on the bird. I like to go back to painting every now and then. I've entered this for the Take a Word Challenge which is 'Regal'

http://takeaword.blogspot.com/2012/01/take-word-challenge-regal.html

Less is More

This is the sketch for the Less is More Challenge. I'm not a typical less is more person, but thought it would make a nice change to try this

I used Tim Holtz tissue tape,( this will last forever!) The butterfly image is edged in blue distress ink, the stamp is Paper Whimsy

Something a little Different

This is a little boat I've made. The base is card and then tissue papered and painted a soft pink. I added a banner around it and added this lovely vintage image of children, with added wings! The sail has script lettering and I added ribbon, and buttons to it
On Etsy now:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/91403882/fairy-boat

It ties in with Gingersnap Creations Challenge for adding ribbon to a project
http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2012/01/gc134-spicy-supply-challenge-ribbon.html

Fairy Princess

I had an empty ribbon spool which I'd been hanging on to.......as you do!

I always make something as a little extra for my daughter's Birthday, I usually make her an album or the likes, so wanted something a bit different.

So here's her Fairy princess. Her name is on the banner along the pedestal. I'm really pleased with the way it came out, I added her crown after taking some of the pics

Alice and the White Rabbit

This is a quick watercolour sketch for The Altered Alice challenge 'Stripes' I haven't painted for a while now, so it made a change to get them back out.
I have Alice stamps but didn't feel inspired, so doodled instead.http://alteredalice.blogspot.com/2012/01/week-1-chapter-11-stripes.html

Birthday card

This is a Birthday card for a friend's 50th, it ties in nicely with the challenge at Gingersnap Creations for soft yellow and white. The Birthday stamp is from Whimsy Stamps, along with the die for the banner. I decided not to put 50 on the card......as it's mine in a few weeks!
http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2011/12/gc132-color-challenge-soft-yellows-and.html

Valentines Hat

Here's a Valentine hat I made for a challenge at The Flying Unicorn' for a project with banners and oversuffed embellishments. The hat has 2 banners, one with the word 'love' on scrabble type squares, the other die cut from patterned paper.

The fabric and paper flowers are hand made , and I made hat pins to match.

Busta kindly agreed to model the hat for me... :)

At Last A Card!

I can't remember when I last made a card. I don't seem to have had any inspiration to make them for some reason.
It's my parents Wedding Anniversary tomorrow, so I thought I'd make a card for them. The image is from Graphic 45, and the sentiment stamp is from Cavallini. I wanted to keep it relatively simple, so added cream flower trim and for a dash of colour added some blue pearls.
I'm entering this in the Take a Word Challenge 'Sepia'
http://takeaword.blogspot.com/2011/12/take-word-challenge-sepia.html

Heart Ornament

Having a break from banners! I made this Christmas hanging from scraps I had. The oh so cute image is printed onto fabric and lace and fibres added, I think I'll make more of these, it looks great on my tree, I'm linking this to my MAMA friend Terri's lovely blog for 'Deck the Halls Sunday'

http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/2011/12/deck-halls-sunday-christmas-is-coming.html

Christmas Banner

Made another banner today, I think I have an obsession with them at the moment! It sets my fireplace off just nicely, and I love aqua and white/cream together. I'm entering this into the Our Creative Corner Challenge ' which has the theme 'Ruffled' http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/


It also fits in with the challengeover at Papertake Weekly Challenge, for favourite Christmas colours. This year mine is aqua cream and white!

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/2011/12/im-dreaming-of-your-fave-colour.html

Decorated Candles

Thought I'd try something new today. I've had some candles lurking since last year when I had planned to decorate them. Well, finally did today when I saw the challenge over at Gingersnap Creations was for 'wax'.
The first one was stamped in a light blue on tissue paper, so not easy to see in the photo.
The second is in brown, the stamp is from Crafty Secrets, which I added 'dew drops' to for a little bling

http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2011/12/gc130-spicy-supply-challenge-wax.html

More Christmas Ornaments

This is another ornament, made in place of cards this year, the image is from Gecko Gals.

I've entered this for the Take a Word challenge.Which is 'joy' obviously!

http://takeaword.blogspot.com/2011/12/take-word-joy.html

Christmas Banner

I made another Banner for my dining room, which will be aqua and cream for Christmas I've enjoyed making the banners, I want one to put on the fireplace too, hopefully I'll get one made this week!