Another Crafty Individuals' Collaged Bag!

I'm still sticking with what I know, and not pushing myself to try anything new as I still don't have my confidence back after the recent upheaval to my life. I enjoyed making this bag though. The Crafty Individuals' stamps I have used are too numerous to mention but the good thing is, any of their stamps work well for this style. This time I didn't add lots of colour and I feel I might actually use this bag on a night out - if I ever go anywhere!

I am entering this for the Stamp Man challenge, which is shabby chic, my first challenge in quite a while!

The Stamp Man - Your Favourite Project of 2011

The Stamp Man is having another wonderful challenge, and this time they are asking you to choose your favourite project from 2011. I thought this was a lovely idea as it is a chance to reflect on the past year and what you have achieved, at a time when the mojo is a bit low for making anything new!

For me, definitely my favourite project was The Tin Man in February last year, made with watch parts. I liked it as it was a bit different to my usual type of project, but also because I was away from home when I had the ideas, and I had to wait til I got home to see if it would work out. I think spending more time planning it was good for me, although it was frustrating as I normally like to rush in. My friend, Nancy, who runs Nancyz Crafts, has it in her shop, despite the fact that she has moved twice to a larger outlet, she has lovingly carried him with her each time and given him a good home.

However, I didn't want the Tin Man to be my entry as I had entered him to the challenge on the Stamp Man which was running at the time, and was lucky enough to be a runner-up, and also it wasn't a 'stampy' project. So I have chosen another favourite:-

I made this for Hallowe'en, which is something I haven't really made projects for before, and I was amazed at the dark and creepy side to my imagination! Who knew? I tried to achieve some depth with layers of stamping, and also used stamped shrink plastic for the bottles of poison. I added some extra creepyness with some fake cobwebs. I used the Apothecary stamps by Artistic Outpost which I got from Happy Daze (I shop there a lot). I had great fun weaving a ridiculous murderous tale in my blog posting!

What was your favourite project that you made in 2011? Let me know and I would love to come and visit it!

On-Line Class on Mould-Making

I've been a little quiet this past week as I have been busy preparing the tutorials and projects for my on-line class on mould-making. I have now sent out the product list to the students but there is still time to join in if you fancy it. I think it will be good fun! Brenda has been loving making the moulds since she came round to me and has put it to great use on her blog! E mail me at lucy@cedmondson.net if you are interested.

Later on this evening my contribution to the August Crafty Individuals' challenge will go on - just waiting for it to appear on their blog before I blog it myself! Also on Wednesday there will be my contribution for Gingersnaps next challenge. The only other bit of news from me is that I was very excited to win The Stamp Man challenge for my alcohol inked Steampunk Debutante shadow box.

See you later!

Steampunk Shadow Box with Alcohol Inks - The Stamp Man Challenge

I am entering this Steampunk Shadow Box for The Stamp Man Alcohol Inks Challenge which closes tonight. It's only the second time I have entered but I remembered being so influenced by The Stamp Man shows on Create and Craft when I first started crafting, and I have learnt such a lot from them.

I painted the shadow box with a mix of Baltic Blue, Sky Blue, and Guacamole Fresco Finish paints to make a jade green to match the dominant colour in the Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante papers, and used a piece of this paper as the backdrop. I cut a Tim Holtz Alterations Die mannequin out of roasting tin foil and embossed it with a Cogs embossing folder. I cut the stand off and then cut it in half lengthways then reattached it to make two legs. I alcohol inked it by dripping colour on so it was quite intense, and picking out the various colours from the background paper. I cut a couple of Bigz Flourishes as a base for my feather arms and added the head from the papers. I then added a pocket watch face at the neck and some shrink plastic cogs cut from the Alterations Die at the shoulders to pull the elements of the doll together.

Slightly angled view to show the depth of the box

On the backdrop there is a clock from Dezinaworld highlighted with a piece of curved glass, and I used another piece to highlight the woman's face, and added some more shrink plastic cogs. The lightbulb is a keyring and it does light up!

The light only comes on if I hold it down, lol! I think it is meant for finding your lock in the dark!

Bottom right I alcohol inked a microscope slide, concentrating the colour around the edge and placed the lady image behind it so that she was framed by AI colour but not concealed, and edged it with Memory Foil tape in Gold. The acetate butterfly was alcohol inked and I added a vintage pen nib. The cog above it has been made from a mould in clay, and then metallic rub on added to enhance the raised areas. Above that is a piece from a watch used to frame another image from the background paper book. To the left of this are some more shrink plastic cogs. I used a hand from the Tim Holtz steampunk stamp set to point to one of his ornate plates which has been alcohol inked, and the Steampunk word was taken from an Artistic Outpost steampunk set. I alcohol inked the word and the hand just so they weren't stark white and filled in the frame with Glossy Accents.

On the bottom of the frame are some more shrink plastic cogs, a different cog mould, and a mould I took of some wings which I then made up in clay. I would like to thank Petra for letting me stamp up some of her images last night, and Alison when she was here the other week, who also let me use the mannequin die. What good buddies!