Powertex Poppies...

Hello...and Happy Easter to you all...

and WoW...what an Easter weekend it has been, here in the UK!
Good Friday was an absolutely gorgeous day...totally Springlike, with beautiful sunshine and singing birds...Saturday and Sunday daytime wasn't so great
...THEN...
Storm Katie invited herself over!!!
Sunday night into Monday was horrendous!! She left a trail of destruction around the South, but on the scheme of things, with just minor damage to the front gate, we got away with it!
I hope you're all safe xx

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Anyways...today I thought I'd share with you a canvas I made using Powertex products.

I've brushed Ivory Powertex over the surface of the canvas.
Added  Easy Structure through a script stencil to give it some background texture.
Adhered the cotton cleaning mop threads and fabric strands using Powertex.
Brushed on some extra Ivory Powertex in places and sprayed Green Bister, which reacts with the Powertex to form wonderful crackles. 

Made some fabric poppies...dried them and coloured using Powertex Powercolour Pigments, mixed with Easy Varnish...

Added medium 3D balls to the centres, using Powertex to 'glue' them...

when dry - dry brushed Black Powercolour pigment and then a dab of Gold to finish. 

I'm just loving the Powertex products...there is soooo much you can do with them...

the only problem is finding enough hours to play! :) 

I have entered this into:

That's Crafty - Red and Green Challenge
Love to Create - Mixed Media Anything Goes

Have a great week

Happy Crafting

Lydia x

"If You Don't Change It, It'll Stay The Same......."

Wow! It's a breezy day out there thanks to 'Barney's' visit! Who names these storms...and why do I automatically think of a purple dinosaur?? Haha

Anyway, here in the warm, I thought I'd share with you a Christmas lantern that I had a great time altering. It's inspiration came from a fantabulous weekend retreat in Coventry, with Andy Skinner/Michelle Webb and Tando Creations.

This started off life as a nice, cream coloured lantern from B&M. But...Pah...I don't want nice and clean...I wanted wicked and rusty!! :) 

Before I got my hands on it ....

...And after!!!

Along the way I gesso'd it...

...added some texture paste...

...some DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic paint...

... and ...

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics 

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 I also used 'Merry Christmas' wording and a 'Christmas stocking' from
Tando Creative x

Well...hope you like it. I thoroughly enjoyed making it :)

I'm entering this into:

Our Creative Corner - Topsy Turvy  - I made something new into something old, instead of the norm... something old into something new!!

SanDee & Amelie - Steampunk Winter Special 

Mixed Media World - Anything Goes 

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes

Anything But Cute - It's Ornamental

Thanks for visiting

Happy Crafting

Lydia xx

Frame It - IndigoBlu Demonstrator Inspiration...

Hi all
Well, Summer seems to have turned it's back on us, and September snuck in whilst no one was watching!! The nights are drawing in and Autumn is just around the corner....but I do love this time of year...it's so colourful and has that healthy kind of start to your day!
It also means more 'stay in and craft' time :)

This month, the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog theme is 'Frame It' .....
Frame an image...frame a sentiment...decorate a frame...or frame a frame...how ever you want to frame it, is ok with us! :)

I have used the totally gorgeous Giant Poppy as my focal image, using our IndigoBlu English Cottage Artist Quality Paints to hand paint both the Poppy and the background.
Rob has been back in his shed, and made me a frame from MDF (bless his cottons :) ) ...that has a covering of Texture Paste...dried... a coat of Black GeeSso Good - Gesso...and Vodka Martini! ;)

If you get a chance, nip across to the blog and see what the Challenge team have created...there is so much fabulous work over there as always x

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We would love for you to join in...and don't forget.....

The fabulous winner’s prize this month is your choice of IndigoBlu stamps.  As always, you have 3 options to choose from:

1:   2 Large stamp plates

or
2:   4 Small stamp plates

or

3:   1 Large and 2 small plates

There’s also the Winner’s Badge, and one for the Top 3, to display proudly on your blog, and the WINNER of the challenge will also be invited to do a GUEST SPOT on a future Challenge Launch post. That’s right, your work will be on the Challenge Blog alongside the Design Team!

Also the Top Three each month (chosen by our lovely DT) will all be invited to do an inspiration piece to be included on the new reminder post that now goes live mid challenge. So, if you’d like a chance to be featured on the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog get those stamps out and get creating!

To all those with children returning to school this week... I wish them all a great new term x

Happy Crafting...

Lydia xx

Gorgeous New Bella ~ Easel Box....

Hi All
Today I'm sharing some fabulous new Tattered Lace goodies... including dies, an embossing folder set and loads of awesome embellishments! :)

I have made a drawer based easel card from some plain white card stock. Cut some panels for the sides and top from designer paper, then embossed them with the lovely new 'Script' embossing folder. These have then been edged with distress ink. I attached a length of the gorgeous new ribbon across the top of the drawer base before adhering the easel card.

I put together a 'stop' panel (the bit that stops the easel part of the card from falling down flat) and made a double looped bow and stuck it on. To which I added a couple of flat backed pearls and one of the beautiful new resin flowers... I also added one to the front of the drawer.

The new Bella's Body was cut from vanilla card stock, and also edged with distress ink. Bella has some wonderful new clothes and accessories available, of which I used Bella's Short Dress and one of Bella's Hair dies. I've cut one each of the short dresses and layered them....then cut a further 8 of the lacy short dress and made them into a double tiered long skirt back for her. I cut her a matching pair of shoes and gave her a lovely long hairstyle.

With a couple of Rose Corners, cut and distress inked for the easel top, and a parasol for Bella, all she needed were the words...Bella......Gorgeous New Chic Lady in contrasting brown cardstock to finish it all off. The easel card can be folded down and tied with the ribbon x

Tattered Lace Tools

Tattered Lace Bella's Body Die D716
Tattered Lace Bella's Hair Die D718
Tattered Lace Bella's Short Dress Die D711
Tattered Lace Fashion Sentiments Die D722
Tattered Lace Curved Parasol Die D128
Tattered Lace Rose Corner Die D470
Tattered Lace Script Embossing Folder EF062
Embellishment Attic Grosgrain Ribbon 
Embellishment Attic Pearl Wheel - large pearls
Embellishment Attic Pearl Wheel - medium & small pearls
Embellishment Attic Resin Flowers 

 Take care
Happy Crafting
Lydia xx

Baker Ross...Just Add Adults!! :)

Hi all :)
This is the first of a few projects that I have done for the craft company Baker Ross. Now, most of us probably connect Baker Ross with children's crafting, but the lovely Katy approached me and asked if I'd be interested in using some of their products in 'Adult Craft Land' ...well...you know me!!!.........
Sooo....with a box full of goodies...I set to work ......

For this project I have used some papers from the 'Mittsommerland' Paper Pad to make the roses and leaves...and a Paper Lantern.
The paper pad is FAB!! It measures 24 x 34 cm and has 26 sheets. 13 designs and two sheets of each...BUT...the wonderful thing about it is....one sheet is 270gsm and the other 80gsm!! How brilliant is that?!!! I used the 270gsm red polka dot paper for the roses and the 80gsm green paper for the leaves.
The paper lanterns are in a pack of 4 and measure 12cm in diameter. They come flat packed with a metal center piece to keep their shape and a piece of gold trim to hang them up with.

 I have used a BATTERY OPERATED tea light in mine. Pleeeeeeeeeease do NOT use normal tea lights for risk of fire...well...certainty of fire!!

Therefore, mine makes a lovely little side light for those 'chill' moments.

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I have other projects to come so watch this space!!!
Have a fab weekend and Happy Crafting
Lydia xx