Note to Self by Samantha Read

I absolutely couldn't resist any longer! A chunky, wooden atc and one of my favourite colour combinations, pink and brown.

I started by painting the whole thing with ordinary emulsion paint left over from decorating, this seals and smooths the wood. I then cut and decorated the paper, adhered to the atc and added embellishments. The embellishments were vital to this project, without them it just looked really naked.

The memo pin went into the wood really easily, I just kept tuning and pressing into the wood with the pin, it would be good for holding photo's too.

Yet another new addiction!

I used:

Chunky Wood ATC (thank goodness these are now available, I had a go at cutting my own and it was tricky!)

Artistic Outpost Stamp Sheet, Serenity

Tim Holtz memo pin

Birdhouse charm

Prima Crystals and Pearls Pearlescent Pinks

Distress Inkpads, Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen and Worn Lipstick

Wishing you a happy day, Sam xxx

Music Card by Joanne Wardle

To fit with the "march to your own tune" theme this month, I have made this easy music themed card using Scrolls Work Stamps. Scrolls Work Stamps are not trading anymore, but Happy Daze still have a limited amount in stock.

for this card I used Sheet Music and Knapp music Chart.

To make the card I masked off a strip of the card and inked with various brown distress inks and overstamped with the sheet music stamp. I then stamped the knapp music chart with sepia versafine ink. I embossed two lines down the sides of the strip to make it stand out more,

to make the embellishment, I stamped the sheet music stamp onto white thin card. I ripped it into strips, and inked with distress inks, rolled it up and glued the rolls. I tied a ribbon around them added a charm (these are similar to what I used)and then glued to the card. I have left it sentiment free, but a sentiment could be added for any occasion for a music lover.

Hocus Pocus earwire by Julie Dandy

hi everyone, this week I am sharing a cute little piece of jewellery for Halloween or just for anybody with a secret dark side ;-)

It features the brand spanking new Pink Paislee Phantom clear stamps :D

They are super cool and not strictly for Halloween with the cute little cameos and bird cage.
I stamped them on to shrink plastic using a black promarker as I found archival ink too wet, particularly with clear stamps.

I added lots of beads, chains and a cute little vial coloured with red alcohol ink.

Here's a few more pics for you with a little bit more detail :D

Hugs'n'snogs,
Julie xx

Dreamy butterfly tin by Julie Dandy

Well, I was already to share a cute altered domino necklace with you this week until I checked the blog and spotted that Moira and Carol had already beaten me to jewellery pieces!!! LOL

But never mind, it spurred me on to finish this sweet little tin instead :D

It started life as one of these plain little silver coloured hinged lid tins.

I covered the lid with Tim Holtz tissue tape in a random pattern to create a collaged effect. I used alcohol inks sponged on to the tape to colour it, then used a fine brush to add colour to the butterfly.

When it was completely dry I gave it a couple of coats of Lisa Pavelka resin - this is the stage that it has sat on my table for for about a month, not the resins fault as it was cured, I just couldn't decide where it was going next!!!

So I set it in front of me last night and stared it out for a while.

Then I had a look in my cupboard, then stared some more!

Then it hit me like a lightening bolt and I reached for my jewellery making boxes and hunted out the perfect metal leaf charms and lush lucite flower beads (I'm not sure what lucite is but they do look like plastic to me haha :D)

I added some pearls, buttons , lace and some teeny alphas and bobs your uncle - one sweet little tin that would be great to give a tiny gift in or just as a gift on its own .

Pop on over to Happy Daze to see most of the products I used on this project.

Hugs'n'snogs,

Julie xx

Little Black Dress, By Carol fox

Not a dress, but the challenge theme this month is the craft item you could not live without, in my case I cannot live without any of them, so I just dug through my wonderful stash from the happy daze shop and got to work.

This week I am still in love with the multi-medium and distress stain technique so I have made a little gift box using the stains, inks and medium to decorate it.

I co-ordinated the theme of the box to tie in with a pendant I have made using some the the charms and Tim Holtz ideology pieces for sale on the site.

First of all the box. I made the basic box using a box maker and a fairy sturdy card. I cut a piece of card to fit the lid, I first of all inked this using distress inks in chipped sapphire and spiced marmalade. I then choose my stamp. I have used the quote from the Artistic Outpost set Happiness. I put a small splodge of Multi medium onto my craft mat and then "inked up" the stamp with this before stamping it onto the inked square. I them heated this to dry it. Once dry I took my distress stain in dusty concord and applied this over the square of card ensuring that it had a good coverage. The multi medium resists the stain and the quote will show though in the distress ink colour, I love this bit, it's like magic.

I then glued the square to the lid of the box and inked the sides and cut edges of the square with the same distress inks and stain. I then thought it all looked a bit flat so I took my favourite stamp a basic crackle background (great for a filler), inked it up in the spice marmalade and randomly stamped it over the lid and sides.
The Pendant I have used one the large butterfly's as a base for this. (these are so popular that as soon as Moira gets them into stock they are all sold again, so do sign up for the email alerts to be informed when they come back into stock so you don't miss out as they are gorgeous)

I added a Tim Holtz ideology cog to the centre of the butterfly and topped this off with a reclaimed watch cog from my personal stash. I then attached chain to the top parts of the butterfly, adding Tim Holtz Ideology cogs and game spinners as shown, using jump rings to join them all together to form an interesting and decorative chain for the butterfly. This was really quick to make but it looks so effective that it could have taken you hours.

All the DT members are trying on their little black dresses this month and as usual this is linked to the monthly challenge and you can find all the details of this here.

Captured Fairy Box by Carol fox

I had had this little fairy buzzing around my room for the last few nights causing havoc, knocking things over and being very naughty, I eventually managed to catch her, the first thing that came to hand was an old pocket watch front and as soon the fairy landed on this little box I managed to get the watch front over it. As with all fairies as soon as they are caught they freeze and become suspended in time until they are freed again. But I must admit I think she makes a lovely addition to the top of this box.
The box is one of the wooden ones from the shop. I first of all gave it a coat of modern masters copper paint which I treated with the green patina finish to age it.
All the watch parts are purposed from old pocket watches and clocks. The clock hands are two game spinners that I have cut down. The fairy charm,Dragonfly and numbered pin are all available from the shop.
Once everything was in place I gave it a light coat of resin to hold it all in place and give it a nice shine. I also painted the sides of the box with the resin as it makes it go a lovely colour.
Th When it was all dry I gave it a quick rub over with some Viva Decor Inka gold just to give it a bit more of an aged look.
The Feet are the Tim holtz Foundations box feet and Key Hole is one from the Tim Holtz Locket key Set

Please Note: That no faeries were hurt during the making of this box LOL

As This has a dangly key on it, it will also fit in with the current challenge this month of Dangly Things. Have a look HERE to see all the details of how to enter.