Artful Times Challenge 54 - Make a Badge, Button or Brooch

This week the Challenge is to "Make a badge, button or brooch, as long as it is fastened with a pin". This is what I made

and the reason for my hand being in the shot - to prove it has a pin on the back.  

I used Shrink Plastic for the face, cutting a circle and stamping the image on.  I then coloured the back so it would not be overly pink (it was translucent)  and made some tiny holes in the top where I wanted to put the wire.  Next hit it with the heat gun (not literally) and shrunk it.  

Then I got various colours of wire and twirled them around a cocktail stick and wove them into the holes for her hair.  That's it!  A pin on the back and it was finished.

Why not pop along to Artful Times and see what the others have done - am sure you will be delighted with their makes before you embark on your entry - there are lots of things you can use as a base - I might even do another with a bottle cap!

Go on you know you want to make something - Give it a Go!

WOYWW 255

Here we are again showing our desks and what we are up to (or in some cases what we have recently made - Not Here sadly still making) or should I say "A meeting of friends brought together through the wonderful Queen of Bloggers, Julia."

Well, motivation has eluded me again but I am hoping that later, or as it is turned midnight should it be tomorrow - oh heck I am all confused -  I will get on with something I am making with my envelope maker so here is my desk.

all tidied up from yesterday.

I am using my iPad to help me make something but I took the page off so you couldn't see it yet (sneaky).

Last week I got a wonderful surprise package in the post.  Can you see the black and white box on the left?  It is an envelope box beautifully made by Sam(ski).  I love it and normally it will sit on the coffee table but I just had to have it with me for inspiration.  Inside she had given me a selection of notecards and matching envelopes using her Gelli Plate.  Now until I got these I did not want one.  Now ...  I rest my case.  Want to see?

Wish you could all see and touch them, they are really beautiful and yes, this is posed, but I just had to share.  Can you see the little notebook in the top left as well.  I am so lucky to have Sam as a friend. Thanks for cheering me up Sam.

If you go to the photograph above this one you will see my docking station which was my 'teaser' for you a few weeks ago.  How you missed it I will never know.  But ... one person did guess it the second week and that was the lovely Shaz from Oz.  It was a birthday present from my friend Lorraine, I was so surprised to open it but, as she said, her ambition is to bring me into the current century.  

Well, what have you got on your desk?  Pop along to see Julia and find out how many others have joined in this week and what they are all up to.  I guess most of them are getting the atc's done ready for the mammoth swap.  Must get some work done and then I can get on with mine.  Take care.  See you!

BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNER

As mentioned in my WOYWW Post to celebrate my birthday I was giving away one Tim Holtz die - ie

to a lucky winner.

And the Lucky Winner is

Sarah Anderson!  Well done Sarah, let me have your address and I will get the die in the post to you.

Here is my desk showing the lucky winner's name that was drawn from a hat with all the names scattered on  my mat after the draw to prove everyone went in.

Sarah's name is on my envelope maker

WOYWW 254

No creativity to show you here today.  I am working on something for someone who has just celebrated (yes, I am late) a Silver Wedding so I don't want to spoil it by showing you where I am up to now - until it is finished.

Did have to finish off a card before lunch and just 'enveloped' it without scanning or anything so am afraid I cannot even show you that.  This is the aftermath - nothing much as I tidied up as I went along.

But wait ...  

What lurks on my cutter?  It's my prize - a lovely stamp of a bicycle and the words "live your dream" by Unity Stamp Company sent to me courtesy of April.  Just arrived today so no chance to use it as yet but hopefully I will do something with it before next week.  I am so pleased I won the stamp the other week.  Don't you just love the little character April sent along to make sure the stamp arrived safely? thank you so much April!

Right, keeping it short and sweet today just how our glorious leader (Julia) likes it.  Before I go however, I have kept forgetting to say what the new thing was that appeared on my desk - well, Shaz in Oz was able to spot it - nobody else did - it was my new Docking Station.  A birthday gift from my friend Lorraine.  I should say a "well used birthday gift" as it keeps me buzzing all day when I am in my stamp room.

Off to J's now so see you there for more desk hopping.

ps do you like my little folded down bin that Jo made me - top left?

Spray Away with Artful Times

Well, the challenge this next two weeks is for you to get out those sprays.  I have oodles of them and bought some new Dylusion ones at Port Sunlight from Ali-Craft but haven't opened them up yet.

At weekend when I was working for Oyster Stamps the lovely Tracey had some new products - sprays by Lindly's Stamp Gang which is what I am using today.  My friend Mary stocks these in America, she knew Lindy and this year got Carole to take me to introduce me to Lindy's two daughters who have carried on the business since Lindy so sadly died.  If you like Mica - you will love these sprays.  They do have some fabulous products and are popular in the USA.

Do they clog up?  Was asked this question a few times on Sunday but I was honest and said I didn't know as I had only used them over the two days.  Now, five days later I have taken them down from the shelf and used them - no clogging!  So what did I do?  I stamped and diecut some flowers and then put some of them on wires so they waved gently as you move the box.

Another box from WRMK

trying to let you see the mica

This time I cut a hole in again, put some card behind with hares stamped on and some little chicks fussy cut across the base.  This is for my friend's little girl for Easter.

Those are the two sprays I used (from the pink and the blue set) and this was my attempt to let you see the mica left behind on the cardstock after spraying the flowers.  Loved how it puddled in the middle of the card so had a real good spray afterwards to get a deep colour on my cardstock.

This looks much better irl and I am going to use it to cover a book I want to make.  Here's another shot - love those runs

I took oodles of photographs of the card but won't bore you with them all.  It really is a gorgeous colour but has to be seen to be appreciated.  Photographs just do not do those sprays justice.

Anyway, why not pop over to Artful Times and see what the ladies have done - you will love their work.  Then get your sprays out whilst the weather is condusive and spray spray spray away.

WRMK Gift Box Maker, Lindy's Srays, Heartfelt Creations Dies and matching Rubber Stamp all from Oyster Stamps.

WOYWW 253 (two weeks for candy)

Cannot believe I have not posted for a week - again!!  Ah well, did work over the weekend at the show in Leigh, Lancashire but never got around to taking photographs.  We were mad busy.

Took along the boxes I had on my desk and we did some good sales with them being demonstrated and I had these two decorated ones to show.

I have the top undone so that I can show you a shot of the inside.  It should have a flat top/roof and there should be a message on the oval diecut on the front.   The one I took on Saturday got sprayed, don't ask, so I had to remake it Saturday evening and was too tired to bother with the stamping and embossing.  Inside it has one of those battery candles (looks like a yellow dot), stamping on three sides, acetate over the window and diecut deer standing up on the base.

my attempt to show you when it is in darkness

The other one I decorated was left open - no little notches to fasten because it is designed to have all this tissue coming out of it.

It too has an acetate window with a piece inserted on the inside, set back a little, with a diecut flower on which is repeated (flower head only) on each point.  There is a solid diecut flower on the outside in cream.

Right - these were a 'shove' to the right and left of this next picture so that I could have a fairly clear desk to show them to you.  This is what my desk looks like

I am trying to work out the measurements for cutting ovals in something so that they are fairly even. Guess what I will be doing ALL DAY?  What will you be doing?  Visiting lots of other desks on the great Desk Searching Marathon I hope.  See you over at Julia's site! ps please leave your number if possible - makes life easier when it comes to commenting.

Don't forget to sign up for the TH candy at the top of the page - not here please - go to the top - thanks!

WOYWW 252 (Tim Holtz candy still there)

Just a reminder that if you want to be in with a chance to win the die by Tim Holtz you need to go to the top of the page and read and put a comment in to say you want to be in the draw.

Well, it is another Wednesday.  Phooee!  That came round quick, especially as I spent Saturday with lots of stamping friends from WOYWW, the club and other places.  I was going to list them all but there are too many, it really was an afternoon of chatting.  Didn't buy much - oh I was at Port Sunny at the stamping show.  I think I go to that show just to chat to be honest.

Here is my desk as it stands

As you can see I have been busy making boxes (left) and now I need to get decorating them ready for the show on Saturday at Leigh in Lancashire.  I still have some of the other shaped boxes to make - think I will concentrate on the Pillow boxes next.  You can see I have all the boards scattered around.

Do you remember last week?  I had lots of bits scattered on my desk. Well this was the final product - now sent off to Bats and Broomsticks where I spent the two nights prior to my birthday.

Yes, at last I got around to making one of those box thingy cards Now I am off to see what YOU have been doing - where am I going - to WOYWW of course.  See you there!

ps forgot to tell you, last week I asked what was the addition to my crafting view - nobody noticed - it is not the double kithen roll but you are getting warm.