Imagine... altered wooden box by Julie Dandy

This week I have altered one of THESE little wooden boxes with Mady Scrolls Work stamp image.

I started by painting the box with a light green acrylic paint and when dry painted over areas of it with crackle glaze. When the crackle was dry I painted over them roughly with white paint - I didn't want to obliterate the green just make it look shabby.

I highlighted the edges with Inka Gold in ROSE .

I stamped the image in coffee archival ink on to a piece of tissue paper and then glued it on to the lid with Claudines matte medium and then coated the whole box with it to give it a protective coat.
I added some torn pieces of TH tissue tape to the top and sides of the box.

I used Glitz stickers for the word "Imagine" inspired by the tissue tape.

I finished it off with a piece of ribbon and buttons glued on with the matte medium and tied a piece of ribbon around the box in a bow.
Scrolls Work stamps are no longer in production so if you would like any I wouldn't wait to long as when they are gone Moira won't be able to restock them.

Don't forget about this months challenge is to try or to use something new. All the details of the challenge and how to enter can be seen here.

Hugs'n'snogs,
Julie xx

hidden message card by Joanne Wardle

Continuing the "try something new" theme for the Happy Daze challenge, I thought that sometimes the easiest way to give something new a try is to copy something you've seen in a magazine.

I'm cheating a little here as I'm copying my own idea from my article in this month's Craft Stamper Magazine, which used Stampotique Stamps available from Happy Daze.

The card is a tent fold card with a gap at the top to hold a strip of card.
I used the wonderful moon girl, as well as Daisy Daisy, hearts Cubed and Each life, all of which are available from Happy Daze.

The instructions are in this month's craft stamper, which you can also get from Happy Daze

Altered Domino By Carol Fox

I have been experimenting for a magazine article and this is one of the little pieces that I was playing with while trying a few things out.
It's a little Domino Fridge Magnet. I have used new things on it so it does kind of fit in with the challenge theme for this month.,
The stamping is done with Teesha Moore Rubber stamps, I am so pleased that Moira has started to stock these as there was no UK stockist before and I always had to order from the US and they would seem to take ages to come.
I have used the little legs stamp and then masked them off to stamp the swirl for the background. Its coloured in with Alcohol inks and then given a coat of glossy accents which has sealed all the charms in place.
For full details of the challenge this month and how to upload your imaged have a look at the original blog post here.

Chunky Wooden ATC, Trying Something New By Carol Fox

I have fancied trying one of these ever since I first saw one a couple of years ago. They now seem to be everywhere so I figured it was time to actually getting around to doing one.
The wooden blocks are ATC sized 2.5 x 3.5 inches, they vary from the normal ATC in that they are wooden and 1.5 inches deep.
I have altered this one in a steampunk style. I covered all the sides apart from the front in Ten Second Studio Metal. I had first run this through my big shot using a cuttle bug steampunk plate, I then lightly sanded the texture to give it an aged appearance and to highlight the pattern. I stuck this to the block with The Crafters Pick Ulitmate Glue , this is the perfect glue for this as it just seems to fuse the metal to the wood.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                 

The propeller goes round as it is fixed in place with a screw, these are in the shop but at the moment they are sadly  out of stock .

The large knob on the top is from an old chest of draws that I got out of a skip for all the lovely hardware on it, this is lovely and aged with a great natural green patina finish. The lotto number is from an old set I picked up in a 2nd hand shop.

All the Tim Holtz Gears and spinners are available in the shop as are the other various charms and all the inks I have used.

The challenge this month to try something new or to use something new. All the details of the challenge and how to enter can be seen here.

' Grace in Simplicity ' by Annette Goatley

Hi, I bought a Wooden Arch from Happy Daze and altered it, never done one of these before but I have to say its great fun.  The theme for the Arch is based on a quote from Ben Jonson........"Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace"

Products used: Viva Crackling White and Bronze, Texture Paste, Claudia Hellmuth Studio Matt Medium, Acrylic Paints.
Stamps by:  Stampotique and Lost Coast Designs.

Thought you might like to see some close ups.
Have a great week and take care, Annette x

More Leonardo By Samantha Read

Totally inspired by Paula's fab Mona Lisa creation in Tuesday's post and the constant thinking of Leonardo Da Vinci, here's my design piece for today. It's keeping in with the challenge theme 'Something new for the New Year' because the Mona Lisa stamp is new!

The background Thistle Stamp always makes me think of Leonardos' Vitruvian Man, you know the one, you do! Mona Lisa was stamped on tissue paper and then pva'd to the little canvas which had been painted landscape green.

The thistle then reminded me of a halo and personally I think behind that demure smile Mona Lisa may not have been the angel we think . . . I then added some lace to give the piece a little more dimension and a cheeky flower for the lady! 

I'm also going to share a postcard I created for a swap using Mona Lisa again but also some other Lost Coast Stamps...

... 3 Birds, Border Bingo and Border Tape Measure. Also Long Splatter is there somewhere!  

Thanks for looking, wishing you a lovely day, Sam xxx

A new way to make an old book cover by Ruth

My love affair with everything Art Deco has never faltered since my teens so you imagine my joy when these gorgeous papers arrived. I had plans for one page but when you purchase a Websters pack you always get two, so today I have used both papers on different projects. 

As the theme of this months challenge is "try something new".....I have used my "NEW" sewing machine and made a fabric book cover. I was inspired by the cover of a new craft magazine on the market...but in my haste I forgot to add the handles...duh!!

I used cotton calico and cut the material to fit the opened book with a generous 4cm selvedge. The second piece is the same size as the first but cut in half and turned in to neaten the inside edges. Pin to the outside edges and stitch along all the raw sides. Turn inside out to create the flaps and sew down/neaten the edge of the top and bottom that show on the spine.

Spray with pastel colour sprays.....oh such fun!!

I added (stitched) a luxurious silver trim to the spine Embroidered Lace it's 7cm wide and so stunning that I have been hanging onto it for too long!!

Leave to dry and slip the book inside and decorate with Websters Pages Hollywood Vogue paper. and Fabric Ribbon.

I love how versatile the calico is and so much quicker to make and spray than using paper and creating envelope corners and waiting for glue to dry.

(I think I am going to leave the fancy cover behind and just take my sketch book to New Zealand then add photos on my return and pop the cover back on it).

Tip: You can cover recipe books, vintage books, diaries, sketch books etc to make lovely gifts.

Websters 12x12 number 2!

This layout is my sister wearing a necklace as a flapper headpiece.....the whole family get dressed up 1920's style once a year along with about six thousand locals and tourists.

I cut the patterned paper using a template and glued it onto the black 12x12. The edges are dotted with liquid pearls to represent flapper necklaces. A doiley, stickers, wooden Kaisercraft fence, some journelling notes and ephemera complete the page. 

This year it's my turn to dress up..camera check, diary check, flapper dress check!!

A quick reminder about the current Happy Daze Challenge which is Try Something New for the New Year.

 It could be a new technique you have recently discovered or some new stash you can't wait to to use. There is still plenty of time to enter. One lucky winner will be drawn at random to win a  £15 voucher and free P&P to spend in the Happy Daze shop.

 Maximum of 3 entries per person & you must use at least one product which can be purchased in the Happy Daze shop. 

• You can enter by blogging your address to the linky widget here, 
• emailing your picture to info@happy-daze.net
• uploading your photo to their facebook page