MY MOJO MONTHLY MARCH-VINTAGE VIBES!

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Hello to everyone and to My Mojo Monthly March! The long awaited sun rays sun mean we have a little spring in both the air and our steps!  Are you ready to add a little of that glow to your artful dabblings? Whatever your crafty passion may be, I want to welcome and encourage you to enjoy creativity in your own way. I'm hoping my Vintage Vibes will inspire both your own artful heart and Mojo! Firstly, let's talk to My Featured Artist, the effervescent Kaz Hall.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO MY FEATURED ARTIST... Original, creative, bubbly and Grunge-a-licious....That's Kaz all over. I'm thrilled to introduce both a very talented artist and friend who is going to wow you to the full...
Who is Kaz in five words?  Loyal, impulsive, quirky, slightly bonkers!

Where are you right now as an artist? I don't really see myself as an artist more of a maker of stuff. I've always been a creative soul but never stuck at anything. I suppose I was always searching for something I could feel completely confident in. A few years ago I was going through a really difficult time in my life I needed to escape to another world. By chance I came across some you-tube clips featuring a chap called Tim Holtz. WOW! I was blown away and totally transformed creatively. It may sound cliché but Tim saved me from losing the plot...

and I finally found something and someone who inspired me. Since then I discovered my own style which includes my love of vintage, grunge and distress and really hope to inspire others to maybe dabble into the dark side! 

 Which of your creations is closest to your heart? Like anyone who is creative you always put a little piece of yourself into your creations, so they all mean something to me. As I look back I can always remember both my mood and inspiration. My "flight" piece, one of the few things I actually really like, means the world to me. The butterflies and the vial have a secret hidden message (and a dream come true. Tim Holtz had added me to his Blog role after seeing some of my work. I still pinch myself everyday.) I really enjoyed creating this Configurations box for Art from the Heart's 10 year celebration.

I changed the appearance of the box into an actual house, and again all the embellishments have a meaning. Last year I was thrilled to be asked to join Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Design Team. I'm still pinching myself! I must admit I was so worried by colour! Grunge had been my world and to introduce colour scared the hell out of me, but Dyan reassured me to have a go and I am so glad she did. I am loving the colour. See I said it out loud! The last piece below is from my art journal.

I'm learning so much... and long may it continue. 

If it scares you, try it. You may just love it!  

Where do you find inspiration when feeling Mojoless? I often gain inspiration from anything vintage, I love going to auctions, charity shops or car boots, I can usually find something I can use in a piece. I often buy something, put it away in a box for ages before using it. Old music sheets, buttons, fittings, boxes...  Mix with distress inks, Idea-ology and stamps. Voilà, you have a tag!

You're going back packing in the Himalayas and can only take 3 items... Mmmm, a tough one. I don't own a backpack, so slight problem - or do exercise except racing to the post office to collect my latest stash! I would take my Tim Holtz scissors. I'd find all sorts of uses for them from cutting leaves to making a fancy headscarf (one must always look ones best), the odd haircut (I can vouch they do a great cut. Watch out Vidal Sasson) and most importantly to carve my own stamps. If I'm going all that way, then I'm going to leave my mark. I'd need my Distress Inks to make that said mark and a journal to record all the mad, crazy thoughts that run through my head on a regular basis...
Visit Kaz's blog here, check out her great workshops and see her fabulous design work in this month's Craft Stamper magazine!

Back at HQ...
A HUGE thank you to Kaz for sharing both her heart and inspiration!!! The crafty world is a wonderful labyrinth of many styles with 'Vintage' being a well-loved resident... But what is Vintage and why is it such a favourite every time? As is often the case, we crafters stray from the theoretical definition and create our own take on a style.

Officially, antique is anything before 1920's and thereafter we get into vintage and retro (retrospective=looking back) but the essence of these variations is still the love of a bygone era. Whether you crave the couture of Chanel, rusty findings or the faded images of ancestors, it's about creating an atmosphere of nostalgia, retracing paths already walked and delving into hearts that have lived and loved...

It's not often I look chic, but I do adore vintage fashion from the 40's and 50's. The colours, lines, age of travel and exciting new design breakthroughs of the time seem to ooze glamour! I was inspired to pay homage to this era with a collage set within a handbag. I cut and covered my own bag, used a typical vintage red and an array of Tim Holtz stamps...

Think vintage and it's very likely shabby paint, faded flowers and findings will soon spring to mind. I have a constant love affair with sepia tones, rusty metal and endearing images...

Distress Inks, Stains, torn edges and the hint of a story...a simple plea from behind her wired wall.

I created my double frame using Tim's large Cabinet Card die. I cut five pieces from scrap cardboard, tore out the centre and painted them in gesso. I added a layer of chicken wire between the third and fourth layers and my stamped images to the back. I adorned them with butterflies, random stamping and tattered roses. I spend longer bashing things up than making them!

An old hinge holds them together and then I stapled off-cuts of string to the frames. A rusty key and just a few simple words to leave a thought behind.

I cannot meander into yesteryear without brushing with Steampunk. For me it means conjures up images of dandy Victorian gents, wacky gadgets, industry and the spirit of eccentric invention!

It's also a wonderful chance to indulge in the Grungy, metallic and inky aspects of creating. My inky canvas is covered in with vintage book pages along with distressed and splattered stamping. Anything goes as reality had departed and it's a journey of invention!

I love working with Alcohol inks and embossed metal, throwing in a mix of my own 'rusty junk' and goodies from the likes of Mr. T. Holtz of course...

Challenge, Nice Stuff and Info...
Once again, I'm all done! My Mojo Monthly is all about the why, the what and creative adventures of crafting! What's your take and thoughts on VintageVibes? What memories do you long to recreate...I'm looking forward to seeing and reading about your artwork and I'll be calling by to look at all your creations.

Thank you so much to everyone for playing along last month. Wow - 21 entries!!!! Congratulations to February's winner Franka with her wonderful door hanger. Well done! In April we'll be meeting the very artistic and totally original Dan from My Crafty Life! Yes, a fella! This month's giveaway is a HOT OFF THE PRESS set of new Tim Holtz Stamps and a wooden gothic arch for you to alter and transform!

My Mojo Monthly welcomes all hand-made crafters and artists. A few guidelines on submitting your work:
- In the spirit of MMM please write a few lines in your post about your creativity and why you want to share your work.
- You are very welcome to share challenge pieces, just tell me a bit about your inspiration.
- Please link directly to your post and not your blog so I can find you.
- Please add a link in your post to My Mojo Monthly, thanks!
- Multiple challenge photos without description will be removed.
- Feel free to take the MMM button for your blog - please do!

I really mean it when I say a big thank you to all of you for so much support and enthusiasm. It's wonderful to have so many of you sharing your artful musings and creations. 
Have a marvellous, magically creative March!
Sarah.