Rangers Techniques Workshop

Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but I've not been near the computer for a few days as I came down with a really nasty cold, started last week with a sore throat.  Still, I felt okay to go over to Dawn Bibby's Studio at Oswaldtwistle for Lindsay's Rangers Techniques workshop on Saturday.  The aim was to create a number of ATC-sized cards, each demonstrating a particular Rangers technique using inks, paints, beeswax, stamps, etc, which we could then use as a reference when creating backgrounds and cards in the future.  Lindsay also provided a list detailing each technique as well, so that we wouldn't forget what we did!  Very useful too, because I know I for one am hopeless at remembering what I did in a class once I get home! 

Here are some photos I took during the afternoon, showing us all hard at work (and having a bit of fun too), along with some of the cards I produced by the end of the afternoon.  As per usual, ending up with very messy, ink-stained fingers!

Joanne, Gez & Sheila all hard at work

Just look at the concentration on their faces!

This sample was created with a Big 'n Juicy Stamp Pad (love the bird/cage stamp)!

Here are some of the card samples I created

It was a lovely day and good to meet up with Joanne and Sheila again (they both brought along their "grunge" chunky book pages too, for the swap I'm running, and we all drooled over those ...... the pages are gorgeous, there's no other word to use)!  Lovely to meet Gez for the first time too (and thank you for the beautiful oriental ATC, an unexpected surprise). 

Unfortunately, within a couple of hours of arriving home again, I started to feel much worse and the cold really took a good hold - I was sick during the night and even spent a couple of hours Sunday afternoon falling asleep on the bed (something I would never normally do in the daytime)!  I'm only now just starting to feel a bit better and I wish it'd hurry up and vanish altogether - I HATE COLDS!!!!  Lindsay wasn't so well either Saturday night (a stomach bug, not a cold) so couldn't make her demo on Sunday - what a pair we are!

There's still time to join the "African" atc swap if you want, the deadline isn't for another 10 days, and the next swap will be posted on 1st August.

Some Free Vintage Imagery

Sorry I've not posted all week, my mind's been a bit preoccupied as I was due to go for an MRI scan on my neck today and I've not been looking forward to it at all - for one thing, I get quite claustrophobic in confined spaces and I was worried about being inside the "tunnel", also thought I might start coughing or something and mess the scan up.  Lindsay's been telling me not to be such a coward about it as she had to have one a year or so back, when she got an ear infection, and said that it was an interesting "experience"!  Well, anyway, I have to admit, the scan wasn't as scary as I thought it would be and took place, not in the local hospital, but in the brand-new all-singing, all-dancing health centre not far from where we live - first time I'd been inside and it was pretty impressive, I think they must have a department for every kind of health problem there is, both physically and mentally! 

Anyway, the scan .... I got over the claustrophobia bit by closing my eyes and drifting off into a dream-like trance, quite relaxing in a strange sort of way.  The reason for the scan is that I've got reduced strength & grip in my left thumb and forefinger, it's been getting worse for the past year, and I finally insisted the local GPs refer me to the specialist - the consultant isn't sure why I'm having this problem (it's not carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI, which I thought it possibly could be) so he ordered the neck scan in case that was where the problem lies plus I have to go for some nerve conduction (?) tests on my arm - still waiting for appointments for that - then I see the consultant again in October (yes, I know, seems a long way off) .... so it's all a bit of a mystery really, I hope the cause can be found so that at least, if there's no treatment, I'll know what it is.

Right, that's enough of me and my problems!!!  I thought today I'd put up some vintage pics of family groups from my collection of old cabinet cards - please feel free to download them onto your computer (click on each pic to enlarge it, then right click to save it) and use them in your artwork - would love to see pictures of any art you create using them! 

Mia has been growing increasingly bold these past few days and has decided she wants to climb everywhere - she was eyeing up a tree in our garden yesterday and then was clambering about all over the car roof.  And for some reason, has now decided that the worktops in the kitchen (it's a long galley kitchen so there's a good length of worktop) is a great place to wander around and explore.  Mia jumped off the first time I told her to get down, but then waited till I'd turned my back to jump back up again, the little minx, and I think we're fighting a losing battle keeping her off there all the time.  Only this evening I heard a clatter, went into the kitchen, and there was Mia sitting on the worktop, a picture of innocence, and on the floor the sugar bowl (stainless steel so didn't break) surrounded by a pile of sugar!  Whatever next! 

Mia loves dashing into my "craft/computer room" any chance she can - as she's addicted to having balls of paper thrown for her to fetch, she absolutely loves a good old root around amongst all the crafty bits and pieces - here's a picture of her in one of her latest favourite resting spots - on top of my "tower" where she can peek out at me or reach a paw up to grab me as I'm working! 

(Mia isn't really as evil as she looks in this picture - she's just a very mischievous and determined young lady - but a real cutie)!!

And finally, please don't forget the "Africa" ATC Swap that's running this month - perhaps everyone's too busy with other projects or on their summer hols, but I'd love to have a few more sign ups for this one; if you're interested in joining, just let me know either by email (contact address in my "profile" section) or in a comment on my blog. 

It's the First of the Month ....

..... and time to post July's ATC swap.  Just before the Football World Cup started in South Africa, they held a wonderful concert which I watched on TV.  The music, the singing, the joy that everyone shared was so uplifting, it ended up with Mia and I dancing around the living room in the early hours of the morning - I know, I know, probably not a pretty sight, but we enjoyed ourselves!  Anyway, this was the inspiration for the title of this month's swap theme - "OUT OF AFRICA" - and you may interpret it any way you wish (Africa is a BIG continent!) ...... you might want to feature Africa's wildlife or you may feel inspired by the vibrant colours and patterns of African art and sculpture, tribal costumes and beadwork, the colourful sights and sounds of a Moroccan bazaar or maybe look back into Ancient Egypt ...... you might even want to create cards to mark the ending of apartheid, Nelson Mandela and the fight for freedom.  However you choose to use this theme, I hope lots of you will join the swap and feel inspired to create some really interesting cards.  (Swap details, as usual, are listed in the sidebar).

A few items from my collection of stones, beads and beadwork with an African flavour

Today I've been swapping out the cards I received for the "Midsummer" ATC swap, beautiful cards they all were too, and these will be going out in the post tomorrow.  Apart from that, I've not been able to spend a great deal of time doing any art or craft work the past few weeks, there's always been something else that's had to be done first, but hopefully that will change soon.  I did manage to complete some cards for a Vintage Geisha ATC swap though, three for the swap itself and two extras for my own swapping stash.  Here they are:-

  

I don't often create cards with an oriental theme so these were a bit of a challenge, but I'm quite pleased with the way they turned out.  I used all sorts of bits and pieces to make them - origami papers, Stickles, Beadazzles, gold cord, metal charms, buttefly stickers, even cocktail sticks coloured gold with a Krylon pen!

A Secret Canvas

If you ever get the opportunity to attend one of Lindsay's workshops then grab it ..... you'll really enjoy yourself, learn a variety of techniques and have a great time.  Yesterday I joined Lindsay's workshop over at Topaz Crafts/Dawn Bibby Studio in Oswaldtwistle to make a "Secret Canvas Shrine".

Doesn't everyone look very serious here?  I think everyone was just concentrating really intently on what Lindsay had to say about the canvas, because I can assure you we all had a lot of fun and there was a huge amount of laughter all afternoon!  It was lovely to at last meet up with Sheila (in the foreground), who does some beautiful creative work and gave me her "fairy themed" ATCs for my Midsummer swap - look forward to meeting up with you again, Sheila, at Lindsay's Ranger Techniques class in July!  Behind Sheila you may spot Amy Shaw (Dawn Bibby's niece and a regular craft presenter now on QVC), another lovely and friendly lady with a great sense of humour!

Here are photos of Lindsay's sample "secret canvas" to show what we had to aspire to!

The front of the canvas - I love the look of this and those beautiful blue colours are gorgeous!

The back of the canvas contains a variety of ephemera (including an altered matchbox), to reveal a secret tale or mystery

  

This is the first stage of making my canvas, using acrylic washes and tissue paper

  

 Next, I dabbed on gold acrylic and created a word from grungeboard letters, painted with distress crackle paint 

Here is as far as I've gone with my secret canvas - beeswaxed images, stamping, embellishments

We were all having such a good time that the workshop ran over - I still have to complete the back of the canvas as I need to decide what images and words I want to add to it, plus I'll be adding flowers, maybe other things, to the front as well, but I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out so far - and I'm getting more comfortable using the Meltpot and beeswax now too.  I'll post pics of the finished canvas when it's done.    

Still time .....

..... to join in this month's "Midsummer Dream" ATC swap (see details in sidebar) ..... just three cards, to be with me by the last day of June.  Received the first set of cards in for this swap today and they're looking good (thanks Joanne), but could do with a few more participants (if anyone fancies having a go).

Meanwhile, here's a photo of an ATC I made this week, no particular theme, I just pulled out the image when I was trawling through my stash, matched it up with the background paper and took it from there .... it's now part of my ATC trade collection.

Finally, if you're near a TV (in the UK that is) from midnight Tuesday through Wednesday, tune in to the QVC channel - Lindsay will be on several of the crafting shows throughout the day, demonstrating stamping techniques and tips amongst other things (will just have to wait and see).  Good luck, Lindsay, hope it all goes well for you!

This weekend I have been making .......

Goddesses for an ATC swap.  The group this swap is part of will be closing at the end of the month, but the moderator, Ali Brandist, has started up a new UK group for all those of us who enjoy creating ATCs (and other art projects - inchies, tags, matchboxes, etc) with a vintage or "grunge" style - I'm sure it will be very popular and I'll be joining in a few swaps there myself, soon as I catch up on all my current projects!  I tried to work out how to add a link to Ali's new group, plus a couple of other online art groups that I'm a member of, but I think I was doing something wrong ...... but I'll figure it eventually!  Meanwhile, the name of Ali's group is Vintage ATC UK if any of you fancy checking it out.  See - I can link up in my post but not in the sidebar - yet!  Ali is a brilliant hostess and has a wonderful imagination for some great swap themes so I can highly recommend being part of her new group! 

So, anyway, here are the Goddess cards that I've created over the weekend - it was a lucky dip swap, we each chose six goddesses to create from a huge list of names so everyone will be getting totally different goddesses back when the cards are swapped out.

"The Feral Goddess of the Volcano"

(also known as Hecate, Artemis or Kali)

"Nekhbet - Egyptian Goddess of Wild Birds and Heaven, Protector of the King"

"The Norns - Norse Goddesses of Fate & Destiny

(also known as the 3 Fates & Maiden/Mother/Crone"

"Atla - Norse Goddess of Water"

"Candika - Goddess of Desire & Fertility"

"Aine - Celtic Irish Goddess of Love,

 Sun & Sky, Midsummer, Wealth & Sovereignty"

Don't forget I'm running a 3-card ATC swap throughout June (A Misummer Night's Dream) if you want to join in - details are in the sidebar.

"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" - New ATC Swap

Here it is ...... this month's ATC swap.  As we are now into June and the longest day of the year will be approaching in a few weeks' time, I thought that this would be an appropriate summery theme and it should give you all plenty of room for interpretation ...... William Shakespeare's play perhaps, a dream that you've had, something fairylike and fanciful, even humorous or whimsical.  However you choose to create your cards, I hope you enjoy the process of making your little pieces of art ..... it's wonderful to see just how diverse everyone's ideas are.

Details of the swap and how to sign up are listed in the sidebar, along with a card I made inspired by this theme (The Day Dreamer). 

 I wonder what mischief Mia is dreaming up right now?