Challenge 54 at Artful Times

I love this theme At Artful Times which is to make a badge, button or brooch with any medium you like, though I feel I  haven't done it justice, time just ran away with me and I have been away on a canal break, I'll say no more other than it's ticked of the bucket list.


For my simple brooch I have used a chipboard disc and embossing powders starting with 2 layers of ultra thick, this gives a nice surface to then add your colour embossing powders the nice thing is if you don't like what you have added you can just add another colour on top there are a few colours you can't see but all add the finished effect, once I was happy with the colours I edged with silver powder,stamped the flower with versamark and embossed with black.Finished with a little lace trim and a brooch back.

Did you know that the old ink it up embossing powders with the clear lids they are translucent .

Hope you will be inspired to join us at Artful Times  where you will see more fab ideas 

Challenge 53 at Artful Times

Hello and welcome to another challenge at Artful Times were we are asking you to use any kind of spray inks.
It's a busy old life and there seems little time for daydreams hence the title of the page in my altered book, I've sprayed Dylusion inks for the background and tried the ghosting technique but it didn't work very well probably because of the old paper soaking up the ink, there's lots of white embossing and the leaves have been painted with the Dylusion ink, my sweet little bunny was stamped on the over spray paper

If you love your spray inks then come and join us in the challenge and you could win a £10 voucher to spend at Oyster Stamps  

Challenge 52 at Artful Times

This fortnight the challenge at Artful Times is to use metals / foils and for mine I have up-cycled kitchen foil and tomato purée tubes, give them a go as the golden inside is wonderful and so easy to emboss.
To make the flowers I covered card with double sided sticky tape and covered it with crumpled kitchen foil before die cutting using the tattered flowers die, these large sizzix die are great for this, as they don't crush the texture like a slimmer die would. I then coloured with A.I inks and picked up the texture with gilding wax, for the stems I rolled a scrunched up a tube from kitchen foil made it into the shape I wanted then an it through the big shot to flatten it and the leaves die cut and embossed from tube

Hope you like my take on the challenge inspired buy the sun shining on the  flower over the last few day but it's back to the rain and cold again !!

Please check out the challenge blog to see the amazing things the others have made 

Challenge 51 at Artful Times

Hello and welcome to our challenge at Artful Times "Games pieces" and please give a warm welcome to our new member Wendy

There are so many different sorts of games piece you could use to create with, with puzzle pieces and dominoes being the most popular, I have gone for the smaller size puzzle pieces with lots of ideas all getting muddled in my head consequently I don't think I have done this challenge justice. My first idea was to make a frame for a picture, the aperture cut in mount board  was then framed with the puzzle piece and built up in layer to give it depth it does look better IRL and when I find the photo of my son proudly showing off the puzzle he'd completed I will use it in a frame

Then with a bit of time between life and work I gave it another go, using the puzzle again to make a frame but this time with out the aperture and adding texture paste to the puzzle pieces

There are still half baked ideas in my in my head one of which is to do a Finnabair style canvas with alsorts of games piece as both my sons loved and still do like playing games, who know I might get round to it or you might like to give it ago .

Don't forget to check out what Neet.  Chrissie and Wendy have made, we'd love to see what you have made and if your looking for some super buys then visit Oyster Stamps

Challenge 50 Artful Times

Hello to you all and I must apologise for not being a regular visitor to all the wonderful blogs  I follow, but I have just stated a new job, it's supposed to be part time ! but I have been offered extra shifts and the injection of extra money is most welcome

Now back to the challenge in hand it's ANYTHING GOES

For this I have some more things to show I have made for the Charity shop window

A pine wall hanging painted with pink blue and pale green, a little bit of bead trim and some butterflies, I've kept it simple so it will have mass appeal and hopefully sell

Also a cushion and some draw string bags

Having never made a heart shaped cushion before, I learnt what looks a good shape in paper doesn't make a nice shape when sewn ! hence the ribbon pulling the two sides to sides together

Now pop over to Artful Times and see what amazing things Neet and Chrissie have come up with 

Challenge 49 at Artful Times

Hello and a Happy all be it very wet Valentines Day to one and all


At Artful Times we are challenge you so make or decorate a box, so a good excuse to eat those choky's if you were lucky enough to receive some.


My little box came from the charity shop  and has gone back to the shop for there Valentines window display.

First I painted it pink, then stamped with a script in grey which shows nicely through the transparency, for the sides I've added stickles to some recycled metal butterflies also from the charity shop and added some die cuts which have been embossed with a white glitter powder

Neet and Chrissie and I look forward to seeing what you do with your boxes