Kilts and Punk

Now that might seem like quite a random post title but over at Grungy Monday Linda is reviving a retro Tim technique which is all about plaid and alcohol inks. I immediately think 'Tartan' and that soon leads my thoughts onto Scotland and kilts! But not quite what I had in mind. I have to admit I was a bit stumped with this one and how to make it work for me.

After a few dabbles everything on my desk resembled badly washed car blankets and I thought I'd give it a miss. Plaid, tartan - whatever you want to call didn't seem to do it for me. The only thing that flickered was the thought of Punks and designer Vivienne Westwood - both renown for their Tartan escapades. I decided to give it one more stab with some bright colours, step out of my comfort zone and just go with the flow...

I used a mix of Pool, Wild Plum and Lettuce Alcohol inks going for fairly bold stripes...before getting busy stamping with lots of black archival ink, Urban Chic images and a touch of Mixed Media. 

I re-stamped and cut the heart and embossed it with lots black before putting it in the freezer for a few minutes. Then I bent and cracked the surface for a shattered look, shaped it and stuck it over the original with pads for extra height. I used wooden peg stamps to add the word "Rebel" inside the banner.

If you're going to do Punk then a few rips, attitude and safety pins are right at home. I used my Dymo to add the whatever and 1974 which is a quintessential punk year... all finished off with a tattered tie and wire. So all in all not a Sarah tag AT ALL but a challenge and a bit of inky fun which is enough for today. Right I'm off, I saw some boots on sale yesterday and I'm out to score a bargain. Enjoy the weekend and see you Monday. Sarah.

WOYWW? Not a lot, but hooray - a mini giveaway!

Nuffink, zilch, nada! That evacuated corner is all that is to be seen of my desk this week. Freshly painted and already living in fear of a rogue squirt of green Color Wash. Today is the final day of three weeks of upheaval. Amen. I will be reeling off my (s)nagging list today and pointing out the 'could do better' bits. Call me old fashioned, but as a 'hubby at work' damsel, I hate dealing with male builders and cannot face another, "Yes, love..."

Just need to sand the floors, sort through the now widely spread junk, donate half our wardrobe to Oxfam and scoop up the dust with a JCB. I have a make shift crafty space in another room but most of my gear got shifted at one minute to midnight. Crates, pizza boxes, supermarket bags and suitcases... anything with four sides and 'holding' capacity! I feel totally lost, out of sorts and admittedly darn moody. It's "Grin and bear it"... without the grin.

Thankfully, with just a few pots, potions and ink pads, I could rustle up a tag and felt a lot better for doing so. I saw a Go Green theme over at Inspiration Journal so I thought I have a dabble with a colour pallet I don't often use. I used Peeled Paint and Picket Fence Distress Stains with a splash of Lettuce Color Wash too. I added more white splatters with a paint brush before stamping away with my new Tim stamps and a bit of doodling with a white pen. Me liketh green!

Butterflies grunged with a Picket Fence and Rock Candy Crackle mix, then inked with Forest Moss.

A fitting sentiment for this week. Although I felt the urge to scribble 'My craft room' on top of the first four words.

Idea-ology Ball chain connectors add metal detail to the flutterbys, perching gently on stapled string scraps.

Yesterday I just had to escape the dust pit and went shopping looking for big belly clothes. Came back with these! Just a bright set of Funfetti mini stamps and paper from WAMK going cheap. If they're your kind of thing and you fancy them, leave some blurb or sign your name in the dust and next week I'll pick a winner. The second name out of the hat gets to clean my house...! Right I'm off to vent my OCD with the painters...! Head over to Julia's to join in all the desk-hopping antics. Thanks very much for dropping in... Sarah.

Bring on the Spring....

Monday Morning Greetings to you all!
Boy, yet another swifty week indeed! March is living up to it's name and striding ahead! Here in lurvely England we had a weekend of fabulous Spring sun-rays, definitely more smiling faces and yes, white legs in shorts were spotted. I used that Spring mood in the new theme at Simon Says Stamp & Show where it's the mojo-soothing 'Anything Goes'. Hooray, since my crafty room is now but dusty tatters of it's former self, awaiting a makeover.

I pulled out two Bookplates from my Wendy Vecchi Art Parts treasure trove and wanted to see if I could get them 'working it' in a different way! I thought they would make a great pair of 'screens' and and framed setting for the other pieces. I felt like getting the paints out, using a selection of colours from Claudine Hellmuth and my Dabbers, mixing the colours as I went...

After painting the bookplates, I used Distress inks and Wendy stamps for a shabbier look.
My flower head is painted white and stamped with numbers before masking it off and spraying the stem with Lettuce Color Wash. I painted the scallop in Sky Blue and stamped it and the stem with dots. A press stud centre and a bit of old string for fun!

On this side I sprayed my leaves with Color wash too which is a fab, quick way to get colour onto your Art Parts! I over stamped with text and then made the little sign which is also from the Bookplate set. I used in a book page scrap, painted with Gesso and then stamped with a sentiment in Sienna Archival ink. On all my pieces I sanded the edges and adding shading with Distress inks.

I wanted flexibility but solid colour for my butterflies so Clearly For Art was perfect! I stamped them, cut them out and painted them with gesso, added a swipe of Rusty Hinge and over stamped with this great lattice effect and flowers from Art Rules. Then I could heat them and bend them just as I fancied!

I built up my base using pieces from the Flowers and Florals. Terracotta paint, more Sky Blue and old book pages made a great trio. Here you can also see more of the sanded, inky edges...and some upholstery studs for decoration. Then - 'twas the hour of assemblage! I used good old Glossy Accents...

with my secret weapon...
two metal nuts! They support the back of the book plates and hold everything bang on target!

As said - Anything Goes and a 'be nice to your mojo week!' Make time to just sit, play and create and see what you come up with. Then share it with us! Head over to the Simon Says Stamp & Show DT blog for a whole display of amazing inspiration! You'll love them all!

So I'm all finished with the blurb and arty stuff and must flee the nest... I have an agenda with love handles... Have fun with the theme and thanks for taking a stop here!
Sarah.

Eroded Clearly for Art...

Erosion is a slight theme around these parts this week. Both my brain and crafty zone are being worn down on all sides! The decorator is in da house...my house! So I have had to be be up really early every morning, live out of a suitcase and also empty my entire craft room. I'm suffering serious withdrawal symptoms and feel quite lost. Anyway, before my universe shifted, I was having a dabble with Wendy Vecchi's modelling film, Clearly for Art (CFA). Wendy has been showing us a great crackle effect with Alcohol inks and so I felt inspired to experiment and try out my own idea. So this is my take on the eroded look....

I cut nine Tattered Leaves from CFA to form my petals and brushed each one with Claudine Hellmuth Matt Medium. I painted it on in a rough, uneven way to create texture and dried it with my heat gun. It was alright to do it all wrong by getting a bit too close with the heat gun because you get lots of great bubbling... Then I picked and scraped away at the surface to create an even rougher, more ragged effect.

I then applied Alcohol inks, building up the layers of colour. I used a mix of Pool, Silver and Gold metallic inks to create the tones - pouncing the CFA with my applicator tool and a little Alcohol Blending solution. To achieve a more rusted, eroded look I lightly swiped the surface of each leaf with Rust and terracotta inks. Not with a brush...but my finger!

I only wanted to catch the top texture with colour and found this was the best way... (no hot dates that night anyway). A brush released too much colour and you don't want it going down into all the cracks otherwise you lose the contrast of colour and texture. I then heated my leaves and was able to add lots of shape and movement. CFA is specially created to allow you to do this time and time again which is great because you can shape every single leaf in a different way... exactly as you please...even just the tip.

I stuck them to a circle of card stock with Glossy Accents and added an inkified watch cog and Philosophy Tim tag to the centre.I had to leave it under a bottle overnight to fullydry. The next day, for a little extra something, I also went for an Idea-ology Swivel Clasp, key and foliage grunged with more ink and Distress Powder. I would have liked to have made a lot more, tried out other colours or gone for a whole project piece, but the "empty thy room" bell tolled too loudly. Hopefully you can get the gist of it and maybe have a go yourself. Even the reverse side of the leaves looks fab!

I shall be enjoying myself at a vintage fair all day with my hubby - flogging our oldly, worldly stuff to other hoarders...! Then doing a couch potato all evening as I'm totally cream-crackered! So I'll bid you all a fine and merry weekend! Thanks for peeking in. See you again soon... Sarah.

WOYWW? Dust Vultures and Pile-ups...

Greetings to all fellow WOYWWers...Rubber squatters have taken up residence. Many rookies from last week's stash show... but some have been loitering for ages. I catch a glimpse of a few and become quite nostalgic. There's a few 2011er's in there.

I forced myself to sit in the office to avoid crafty distraction and cleaned the lot. More dilly-dallying is not an option. I have the painters in and hence the Dust Vultures. The bunnies legged it. The next victim is my craft room. I have to uproot and shift my entire inky den... which at the moment seems more of a surreal thought than having a baby.

A little twirl in the spotlight...
I have a tutorial in the April Craft Stamper all about Wendy Vecchi Art Parts. I'm also yippity dippity over the moon to say I've been asked to join their Design team. Gas and air please!!!! I just love creating and designing. Deadlines and Mojomania already await!

Here's a sneaky peek of the piece and cor blimey, my cheesy grin too. I was sat on Brighton Pier at the time!

More dabblings for Less is More. Last week yummy scraps and this week neutral tones. Loving the themes! If next week could just be banana custard... I got show-cased last week too! Thank you! Breaking out the Tim stamps. Loving the Remnants set in Coffee, Sepia and Sienna Archival inks.

I stamped the full sentiment, cut out just a few words, all mounted on foam tape for extra lift! No pun intended...
The new My Mojo Monthly challenge is up and it's a 'Vintage Vibes' month! Here's a retro handbag of 1950's glamour to inspire you! Do join in...! How many exclamation marks does a girl need?!!!

So that was my bit of life in a bloggy nutshell. Got a bit of desk-top gossip too? Feel free to join in at Julia's here!


I'm away... Think I might try out the Renaissance look with all that dust. Thanks very much indeedily for calling by. Have an exceedingly good Wednesday! Sarah.

Lady Be Good....

Good Morning!
Who cranked up the speed dial...? It should still be Sunday, in January, yet March is already upon us and so is Monday morning. Time for another great theme at Simon Says Stamp & Show where we say "Bottle it!" No, not your secret blend of home brewed moonshine...just the glass bit thank you. Bottle stamps, die-cuts, Tim vials, upcycled glassware - be as inventive as you dare!

Who doesn't know the notorious and curvy Jean-Paul Gaultier perfume bottles? I picked up one second-hand...cheap as as chips and crying out for a makeover. I thought this little lady was a mannequin waiting to find her perch! I removed the cap and gave it a good rinse as it was still rather whiffy! (I'm a Chanel gal...) I fancied a bit of colour and dabbed Pool Alcohol ink over the whole bottle.

I used Tissue Tape to create a tightly fitting bodice. It stuck to the bottle really well without glue and I was able to follow all her lovely curves.
I wanted a deep burnt orange colour so I mixed Spiced Marmalade Distress Stain with Red Pepper Color Wash to get this great colour and painted it on with a brush. Thought a Trinket Pin made a great epaulette too!

I did have plans to create a full skirt but every time I tried it I missed seeing the curve of the bottle and I also wanted her to look like a mannequin. So I ditched the idea and went for clean lines...although the prototype skirt re-appeared later that night stuck to my PJ's!!! Here's a side shot so you can see what I mean about the form. I wrapped a length of Idea-ology Ball Chain,  coloured with Rust Alcohol ink around her body and waist, going for the diagonal look.

I threaded it through my Bead Chain Toggle buckle and tied the ends together leaving extra to hang. I edged the bodice with embossed Memory Foil Copper tape and added a Hitch fastener and touch of foliage.

I just cant resist a pair of phantasmal wings and wondered how the Tattered Leaves might look...and got very excited when I saw it was all good!
They are cut from Wendy Vecchi's Clearly for Art which I pounded with Terracotta and Espresso Alcohol ink. I then embossed them with the Retro Circles and added a little more ink.

I then glued them to the back of an Idea-ology button which I tinted with Pool ink. I cut the back loop off the button and glued on a metal nut so I would be able to mount and stick them firmly to the bottle!

The nut means the wings can be set further away from the bottle which makes a big difference.

I'm glad I've found something else to do with my leaf die  - and don't have to wait until the Autumn to use it...

I also added three mini-nuts down the centre back for a little Couture detail!

She's quite petite, which I really like and she is now standing in my attic bedroom. And looky, look, I didn't go all Sepia on you. No, this girl is having a little dabble with colour. I knew I wanted to set her on a stand and after a good rummage in my crafty zone, I found a load of old clock parts, grabbed the super glue and created this! I just love that base piece, set on a Wendy Spool piece covered Distress Stain and Rock candy Crackle paint.

Here's the base...
Just added one more Idea-ology button and an old screw and the job was done! 

Bottles - I know it's an unusual theme but head over to the Design Team and see how they all so creatively rose to the challenge! Remember there's a top three title, $50 worth of shopping to be given away... and a fabulous range of goodies on sale!!! So have a think, a drink and use that bottle! I hope you like the little lady too... Thanks SO much to everyone who calls by - today and each time! Sarah.

MY MOJO MONTHLY MARCH-VINTAGE VIBES!

SEE THE NEW APRIL MY MOJO MONTHLY HERE

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.