Phineas (Steampunk)

First of all may I say "welcome" to my new followers.  It is lovely to see so many people bookmarking my blog.  Thank you all, new and old, for becoming followers.

A couple of posts ago I showed you the beginnings of my Steampunk Journal I did with Sarah.  Well I have been busy undoing old watches to collect some cogs and wheels and now need to visit some charity shops for alarm clocks for larger pieces.  In the meantime I have been on the computer looking for pictures I can use in my journal.

What to do with them until I decide where they are going was my dilemma.  If I put them just in a cupboard I will not remember where they are so I set to and decorated a Project we had done with the talented Gill at Vicky Stampers.  We had made this 'kind of concertina file' with envelopes and, because I 'yacked' a lot, I did not get mine decorated.  Decided it was my prototype and didn't need decorating.  Well, suddenly yesterday the light went on and I thought of decorating it to hold my cuttings.

Here it is (and Phineas had to be featured again)

this is it closed

First of all I changed the colour using my Distress Inks in various shades of brown - so many I cannot remember what I really did use.  Love my Distress inks.  I wanted to make it stay closed as the top kept open showing the base of the envelopes so I hit upon the idea of using a couple of Grungeboard hinges.  Painted them and the lock and key with Dabbers and attached them with TH brads.  The lock has a magnet underneath it so that the flap closes as well.

This is it open

At the very top of the triangular piece is a watch cog which allows the magnet to hold it fast.  You actually turn the whole wallet over to get to the inside of the envelopes.  I won't bore you with a picture of them but if you go to my friend Jo's blog you can see how she decorated hers and her inside shot shows the lovely tags she made (mine has only images inside remember).

I haven't decorated the back, am going to make a pocket on the back of it to hold my little Steampunk Journal.  That's another project in itself and not worth showing anyway as it probably won't be decorated.

Heard from Jennie at The Artistic Stamper, that she has tracked down the stamp of Phineas and his 'mate' so I have just sent for them and now I can have Phineas and the other guy whenever I want them.  She might have more if you are interested.

Second Instalment

A couple of comments made me realise I had not shown my desk - here it is - dashing off for the day with my favourite little girl - Chloe.

Nothing much going on - waiting for this canvas to dry so I can work on it - tin of paints by its side (just the first coat kind).  Polybag storing my black and white scraps peeking out - otherwide as usual.  Still got Zoe's card in the window but her hanging artwork is hung up now.

WOYWW

Last week I said I would do close up pictures showing before and after shots of the various things the BSB's had done when they did the makeover.

This is one of the units they made for me from drawers out of those double boxed thingies from Ikea.  Am sure you will recognise them and know what I mean.

You can see that they have attached the drawers to a sheet of MDF (?) to make suspended storage and they have used the casings, with some drawers taken out (ie used on the board) free standing underneath.

Well, this is what it looks like now - a bit of a mess isn't it?  Spill over from my workspace to the left of this picture.

Bit of a change what!  I bought lots more of those containers and just wedged them between the ones fixed to the board.  They are great for storing my ink pads.  To the right you can see my ribbons - got Chas to attach a piece of dowel to a block of wood and some of my ribbon spools are on it now.  The others are in plastic containers at the top of the cubby holes - I just pull a little tail out of the holes down the side.

The casings underneath hold all manner of things.  Some of my Distress inkpads and stamp cleaner, most used ink pads, mainly black and browns, are in a plastic container with my babywipes on top; then there are some dabbers; underneath  it begins with ds sticky tape, glues in the next one - with a dabber holder being used underneath the plastic box to hold my diddy Ranger glues; post it notes; glitter glues, then underneath some more ink pads (Ancient Page), more glues, and the last two have embossing powders in.

Some magazine holders on the right sit on the counter and they contain a few of my books.  There is a little carousel type thing which sits on top of a round plastic box containing Cut n' Dry foam and that used to have mustard pots on - it now has my water jars on (mini jam jars).  A couple of pots with my most used scissors/journalling pens and brushes, pokey tools etc in can just about be seen on the left.

This is tidy!  You should see the rest of my room but I don't think Julie or any of you want to see that.  Yesterday I was mounting some rubber on Easi-Mount and it all now wants tidying up, plus the blood removing from when I stabbed myself several times with my Tonic scissors (only kidding about the blood but I did stab myself - do any of you have that problem?)

Want to see more desks - then pop over to Julia's blog and see what the Stamping Ground has to offer this week in the way of crafting areas.  It's good fun and you get to see some amazing stuff and maybe one or two ideas to help you with your storage.  What you waiting for?  Get on over!

Steampunk Journal

At the end of July I took a workshop with Sarah A when we did a Steampunk Journal.  This was not any ordinary journal - we actually made our own book from an old (unloved and destined for the tip) book.  Thanks Sarah, it was a great idea.

Sarah A was on the workshop (confused?  It was a different Sarah A) and eleven days later she put up her lovely work that she had done.  Shame on me - mine was still the same - but I had been thinking about it - getting nowhere - but thinking about it.

The other two people on the workshop were Sue and Cynthia and today Cynthia called round and showed me her progression.  That was the spur I needed and so here is what I have done to date:

This is my first page.  You can hardly see it but it was already stamped with a "This book belongs to ...." and so in scrawly writing I wrote "Phineas Pinchbeck".  That's Phineas on the right.  I love that stamp, I covet it, and my friend Mo has it.  I do wish I could track him down.  I WANT THAT STAMP!  And his friend!

Do you like the fingerprints?  I thought that would make the book look even more old and dirty.

 The second page begins the story of Phineas and his journey.  Originally I stamped lots of travel things on but thought it was too crowded so when my friend Mary sent Chas a birthday card with this train on I decided to steal it (only done that tonight) and block out some of my stamping.  This shows that Phineas is going to travel on various modes of transport when he begins his journey.

On the opposite side there is a torn vellum page with a couple of things stamped on and you can see that the next page has more things on but they are muted with the overlay of vellum.

The third set of pages has some torn out text on which I found by accident but thought it appropriate for he and his lady love saying goodbye as he set off.  You might just about read them (or click on it to expand the picture in another window)

On the right hand side is a small set of pages.  This has been run through the Cuttlebug with the ruler and then inked over.  You can just see the inside right hand page peeking out which has a map of London - showing the road from Paddington to Islington.  The left inside page, which you cannot see, has some luggage stamped on it but I won't upload that one.

That is more or less it.  I have one or two things on other pages but they are not completed as yet and I need to think carefully about my story.

It's been great fun, is going to be even more fun and I am really looking forward to getting to grips with those cogs and wheels and all things Steampunk.

I just wish someone would make a die with small cogs and wheels as I like the look and feel of texture and raised images.

Elements - Nearly There

Phew!  Got more done on my Project for the Elements weekend.  At long last I have settled down to my bit and am happy with it.  Spent half a day with Sarah when Helen and I got our Perspex section done.  Here's a bit of mine (hope I have not shown too much in this sneak peek).

I showed them how I had done two other elements so they then began doing those - hope Paddy will be pleased that the three of us have gone on so far ahead now.

When I came home I began pondering on my clay element and on Friday I sat down and made a concerted effort and got mine put to bed.  Not only that but I did my worksheet and sent it off to Sarah and Helen so that they could begin on that also.

Again I don't think I am sneaking too much of a peek.  My Project would not be complete if I did not include my little friend Archie so he had to feature in my work.

Here he is, with a little bit of bling.  I just love Archie.  Hope you do too and that this whets your appetite and makes you think of coming along and joining us.  Give Paddy a ring if you are interested (details on sidebar) or contact Helen at elementswithpaddy@googlemail.com to secure a place.

Before I go - have you checked the blog candy on my sidebar?  Stacey's ends soon so you need to hurry to join in - great candy!

Late for PDC

Last Tuesday I was talking to Sarah and I said I would hurry and make a card for the PDC Challenge.  Sarah had chosen the colour scheme so I felt I had to support her as she had been such a gem with my corset (see earlier posting) and she really is a lovely person in every way.

Well, I did do it, and went to upload it - went to PDC to put my name and thumbnail in.  Guess what?  It was Wednesday in NY.  I was too late.

Anyway, here it is - my late entry which does not qualify:

Took me ages to find some beige cardstock, brown was easy but what was I to do with green?  Found some little roses and peeled the calyx (is that what they are?) back on them all to show the green.

Ah well, now my friend has an easel card for her birthday - hope she likes it.

Zentangle

Over on Lots to Do this week the challenge is "zentangles". and my domino group have had a swap featuring zentangles (I missed it) so I thought I would have a go on a domino.

I have made mine into a pendant with one of my hand-made clay beads on the top - all it needs is something threading though and it can be worn.

I decided to put it on a card so I mounted it on white, then black and then white again.  The last layer of white I did some more zentangling on and then thought I would mount that on black and do even more but this time using a white pen.  Now I wish I had put a plain layer between the two zentangled bits.  My best white pen is a Signo so I used that.  It does come out thicker than my black pen but it looks sort of ok'ish.

I first was alerted to zentangling at CHA in January as Design Originals had previews of some books on it, I thought it looked easy and didn't need a book.  Wrong!  I found it difficult when I came to do it.  We all doodle and draw flowing lines and things but when it came to creating my domino, and subsequent paper bits, I had difficulty.

Mind you if you go over to Lots to Do and see some of the work posted on there by others you will see why I had a problem.  Some absolutely fab pieces on there.

Anyway, here is mine (enough blabbering) - the idea was there even if the execution wasn't.

Sorry about the angle and the flash on top of the domino but it was the best of a zillion photographs I tried to take.