Octopode Factory - Be Inspired By The Written Word

 Hi all, hows things? I would like to say a big welcome to my newest followers and a big thank you for those who are coming back ;) x
 We are starting our new challenge over at The Octopode Factory and the new challenge theme is Be Inspired By The Written Word, pretty easy right?
 I have been inspired by the classic Gothic/Horror writer/Poet Edgar Allen Poe.
 I have made another journal page in my Dyan Reaveley Journal (totally loving it)
The back ground has been crated by first painting the back ground with some light grey Decoart american acrylic paint, I then used some weathered wood crackle, also from Decoart and when dry added a layer of Crocco Crackle glze in purple, I then used Andy Skinners Skull Mask made by Tando-Creative in the top corner.
Ok I did not like how this looked so covered it all in Antique White from Decoart, I then added a wash of Quin Gold to give an aged effect.
I then swiped over the texture with some Distress inks in vintage photo and walnut stain, I also added a little black to the skull.
 The 'Poe' are from a wooden alphabet set, they have been grubbed up with some Distress stains to match and added with pinflare glue.
The two pages are from my collection of Poe stories, I felt so bad ripping them out but soon got over it ;)
 They were first distress by dabbing distress inks onto my craft mat and spritzing with water, I used gather twigs, the pages were ran through the wet ink a few times and a little walnut stain re inker was dripped in places, whilst wet they were ironed dry, this gives a great vintage look to the pages.
They were stuck to the page and wrinkled, when dry I added some more Quni Gold as a wash and when that was dry added some distress inks to the wrinkles.
The little pen quill was made by using one of Tim Holtz pen nibs and a feather charm.
The main image is of course Edgar Alen Poe from The Octopode Factory. He has been coloured with Copic's and fussy cut and finished with two coats of clear embossing powder.

We would love to see you over at The Octopode Factory taking part, it would be great to see what literary talent inspires you.
Thanks as always for stopping by. xx

Exterminate!! Tando-Creative altered advent calendar

 Happy Wednesday, Second post for me today so thanks for sticking with me, as always it is so great to have you stop by.x

 Now this project goes back a little while, Whilst at the Ally Pally craft show in April having a good look round I got to chatting with Di Oliver of Tando-Creative and Helen Pigott from Its Crafting Time who had been discussing alternate uses for some of the Tando range and that the xmas advent calendar looked a lot like a Dalek, I think it was right place at the right time as I was then given the challenge of turning the tree into the Dr Who villain.
 A little while later I received the kit and set to work figuring out what I needed to do. The kit it's self goes together really easily, this little pic shows how the tree looks un painted and the next one is of a tree fully painted up as an advent calendar, I gave mine a Tarnished Brass finish using Decoarts Acrylic paints and  one of Andy Skinners  on line workshop finishes from Time Worn , details can be found on his blog.
I needed to make a couple of sections for the conversion and after a couple of fails found the right way to make the sections I needed, the dome is from an old telephone bell and the mesh has been cut from some magic mesh and glued down after being painted with decoart paints. The arms are kebab sticks and a tooth pick has been used for the top arm thing.
I wish this had been my idea but I had so much fun creating this, I can already see ways of making it better.
 Now if you do not know who Tando-Creative are follow the link to their blog, they are a UK company that produce brilliant chipboard parts and kits, there should be a product range on their blog as well as a list of suppliers.


I would like to enter this into the challenge over at Simon Says Stamp And Show, they are having a 'Kraft' theme, Im not 100% sure what that is but chip board was mentioned and this has been made from a chipboard kit so hopefully that counts x

Anything But A Card are having a 'Masculine' challenge.

Crafty Cardmakers are having a 'Steam Punk' challenge.

The Stampotique Designers Challenge are having a 'Anything But A Card' theme, I looked at the rules and could not see anything about having to use a stamp so hopefully all is good.

Left Of Center are having an alternative or Embossing challenge.

Punk You Girl Are nearly finished their first challenge, the theme is 'Anything Goes' and they are a new alternative challenge.

Haunted Design House - Hangman's handiwork

Happy bank Holl every one,Sun has been shining here today for a change.
 It's time for a new challenge over at Haunted Design House this fortnight the theme is Hangman's Handiwork, basically we want to see you use a knot somewhere on your project.
 Head on over to HDH to see what the DT have come up with and remember there will be more next Monday.
 I decided to tie up a heart for my make. i took a shadow box frame, painted the inside of the box with Decoart acrylic paints and added some washes to age it up.
 The frame was decorated in a finish learnt on an Andy Skinner on line workshop, Book Of Ruination.
 This was again painted with Decoart acrylic paints and given some dry brushing and washes.
 The heart was a plain wooden heart I picked up in Brighton, It has been given a base coat of acrylic and a top coat of Crocco Crackle glaze in purple.The heart was glued into the box on top of a stack of card to pop it out.I added three eyelet's and ran a suede tie through and used my 'Knot' to keep the heart trapped inside. To finish off I added the Tim Holtz thing and added the word caution.
 Thanks for stopping by and we hope to see you over at Haunted Design House.