Frustration is over rated!

I am trying to print images of Marilyn Monroe for a project I am working on & I am having an absolute nightmare! The quality is dreadful & I am at a loss as how to improve it. At this rate I am going to have to cut  up a book, which is very naughty but I don't see another option.

I am seriously spitting my dummy out of my pram over this. I know other people download images & print them with no bother what so ever, so, I am either being a complete & utter numpty, or, well there is no "or" LOL. I am just incompetent.

Moaning about it isn't helping either (normally I love a good rant), looks like destruction of a perfectly good book it is then. All I have to do now is buy the book!

Hangover waffle

I went to the theatre last night to see a play that my friend Rachel directed, then out for a few drinks.

Today I am suffering slightly so my plans to craft have been put on hold.
I don't think it is safe to be near a hot glue gun with the shakes lol.

I am not actually suffering that bad, I do however have shopping & some sitting around doing nothing to get done :-)

Lots of new projects on the go so I promise to have more pictures soon.
Until then....catch ya later special Llama's.

Time flies!

Here is the beginnings of my clock. It took me ages to decide what design I wanted to use. I toyed with shabby industrial, vintage, bright & sparkly but in the end reverted back to good old steam punk.
Which means cogs, cogs & yes you've guessed it MORE COGS!
When I have put it all together in the assemblage clock I will take a picture, (well when I say I, I mean my niece lol).

I will do more of these as I am obsessed with clocks so figured I could do one of each style. Now that thought makes me extremely happy!

I used the Xcut die for the cogs, using gild to give them a metal look. The background & butterfly I used foil tape. This is a working clock it ticks & everything LOL.

There is a much larger clock in the works in fact there are two on the go. Am still sourcing some of the materials I need for the one, but am hoping it should be completed by the end of next week.

Luckily I am free to craft for the next few days with hardly any interruption, which means I am free to experiment. Happy days!

Look what came this morning!

My ebay goodies arrived today & I have already used them (apart from the clock of course).
The pen nibs are great & look fab on the project I am currently working on, along with the foil tape.
I also got some other bits including a Tim Holtz  alphabet mask & some G45 pegs.
Absolute bargains the lot if them.
Am soo pleased with my buys...big grin today :-)

Can you tell what it is yet?

LOL. This is a peak at my simple cut & stick project that I mentioned in my last post. I am still deciding on embellishments. Will show more when complete.

The weather here in Cardiff this morning is cold, wet & miserable (perfect for crafting lol), it is a shame I have to go out. Am certain I can fit a little something crafty into my day, even if it's shopping! ("window" that is. As I am skint).

Ebay goodies!

Can you believe I actually won what I was bidding for! I am amazed Lol.
New Tim holtz alarm clock, a stamp, a mask, & some die cuts. Oh & some pen nibs.
Very happy with my wins as they were bargains. Will take a picture when they arrive.

No pictures sorry.

It is nearly 11pm & I am shattered.
Managed to get the ink & glue off my fingers tonight lol.
Have nearly finished another project, am just trying to decided what embellishments (if any) to add.
This one didn't take long at all, as it was a simple cut & stick project.
I was going to wait for the new Tim Holtz "French industrial" paper collection, but I am rubbish at waiting. (My lack of patience has caused many a crafting disaster/regret).
It seems I have been waiting an absolute age for this collection to become available.
I will just have to come up with more ideas as to what I can use it for.
Lately I seem to be having a crafting frenzy.
Am going to have to slow down or I will have nothing left to craft with!
I think I might do a bit of journaling, & give all the altered stuff a rest for a while.
It will be hard to back away from the chipboard lol, but I must show restraint. (yeah right, I have no comprehension as to what that word means).
I am going to run out of room to store these creations if I carry on like I am. Am making Birthday gifts for people who's Birthdays aren't until the end of the year!
Sadly without a studio or craft space to call my own this crafting frenzy will soon have to stop anyway. I am sure the old folk will want thier dining table back soon, bless em.
Gives me a chance to try & start saving my pennies for all the crafty goodies that I am sure I will want/need.
I really do need to win the lottery & soon!

More sparkle!

 Even though I have been busy today I still managed to squeeze in a bit of crafting. 

I cannot believe I got these painted & all glittered up within an hour!

I am adding a tag to the H saying "There's no place like" as these are my "Dorothy" letters for my friends birthday. I will add a pic to this post showing the tag when I get around to making it, I bet that takes me longer than the word did LOL. I am pleased with how sparkly they turned out. I used a red tinsel embossing powder, I did do it twice to make sure there was no gaps.

 Hope she likes them.

My Air Balloon!

Here is my attempt at Jim The Gentleman's steam punk air balloon. I really enjoyed making it, I had a go & am pleased with the result! I want to make more!

More Boxes

My poor nails are ruined & I cannot get the ink off my hands lol. My hand actually hurts from the amount of crafting I have done over the weekend. I am not complaining as it makes me happy to craft.

Have made another 2 boxes & a load of notepads to go in them. One of them contains some scraps at the moment but am going to filling it with more notebooks, (as soon as I have made them)
They look quite cool. Made a few mistakes that I have learnt from, but they look OK (from a distance lol). .

Have lots more projects still to finish so will be busy for a while.
I have an idea for "bookends" that I want to try & also something involving a coat hanger....( not sure how that one will turn out lol....what I see in my head doesn't always translate to the real world).
I am also after a birdcage to alter...but am searching for one within my budget, so that might have to wait.
I haven't made a mini album for ages so might do one of those soon.
Anyway I am waffling again so until next time.....

Crafting madness

I have been crafting like mad LOL. Have finished a few projects but I can't photograph them myself on my phone.Well one of them at least. It's really awkward due to what it is. Have asked my great niece to help me out. She is 14 & into photography. That means you are going to have to wait to see some of what I have made!

I can show you a quick box I made with left over chipboard & papers. The clocks are from the same Tim Holtz paper collection I just fussy cut them out & mod podged them on. I was going to make a lid for it but have decided to keep it open topped so I can store my spare glue sticks in it. Sounds random, but I can never find my glue sticks for my glue gun when I need them. Undecided as to whether I am going to add feet to this box or not.

EDIT: Have changed my mind. Am going to fill them with note books instead. Am also going to make 2 more!

Amazing!

I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier! I saw an amazing creation yesturday. It is a miniture steam punk gothic eye book.

It is on jennings644 youtube channel. Sorry but I don't know how to do a link.
I am going to have to try & make one. I love it. All I need is a pingpong ball & I am good to go.

Sat making steampunk bits & pieces.

Making lots of these for my next projects.

Creative Insomnia strikes

It is 3.30am & I am wide awake. Needless to say I am not happy about this, but my brain just will not shut down long enough for me to get some sleep.

I am sat up in bed jotting down a whole load of ideas into my projects journal. Who knows, maybe I will get around to making them all (especially if my insomnia persists).

Some of the ideas are quite good & I will make them, others are maybe a little too ambitious & will possibly remain in writing never to be made.

I am still sourcing bits for up- coming projects. Am bidding on a few items from ebay that fingers crossed remain within my budget.
Also I am after more metal foil tape for some steampunk projects. I need lots of it so am looking for a cheaper alternative to the Ranger sheets.

Is this enough insomnia babble? Am just trying to waste time until it is a fairly decent hour to get up & start making noise without the old folk thinking we are being burgled.

My kindle is coming into play. I need a boring book that will send me off to sleep.
It is now 4am ( I have been searching for a book to read on amazon), so I think a couple of hours more & I will get up. If I am lucky I may even snooze for a short time before then.

Look out everyone tomorrow, I am going to be one seriously grumpy fat bird (who has to also go do a food shop, which I hate at the best of times).
I do not think it wise to unleash the beast (that would be me) on the general public tomorrow, especially not in M&S lol.

Until next time.....

Monday blues!

Am on the lookout for some interesting curiosities for my next projects.
I want to do the same project but in two different styles.
Am about to go online & check out some prima goodies, then see how much all the Tim Holtz stuff will cost me.
A trawl on ebay is required & am hoping to bag myself some bargains.

Am also going to be making ANOTHER word lol. Think I am addicted to them.
This one is for a friends birthday & follows the theme of her prezzie from last year. It will make sense when you see it.

That's it for now. Sorry no pictures just me waffling, but will post lots of pics of all new projects soon.
Until then catch ya later special llamas.

A steampunk birthday card

Kept this very simple on the embellishments as I had to post it.
Am going to be doing a set of boxes in this style soon which I am looking forward to getting stuck into.

Girls love a bit of sparkle!

These pictures do not do this word justice. The sparkle on them is fantastic in the flesh.
Am really pleased with the way these letters have turned out.
I wanted to do something pretty & different to anything I've done before.
I am not going to be adding any embellishments as I think the sparkle is enough. Less is more on this one I think. ( I need to pack it up fast before I change my mind & start adding stuff to it)

More altered words!

No pictures yet but should be finished by tomorrow. This time it is a gift for my friends daughter, who is 6 on the weekend. Will need to do a card to.

Am blogging on the bus again....have had a busy day & can't wait to get home & get crafting.
Once this project is finished I am starting on the gentleman crafters steampunk air balloon. Excited!

An attempt at a Mothers day card.

A card! Haven't made many cards lately. I used some of the G45 "a ladies diary" collection to make this.

I did add a few extra flowers after taking this picture just to balance it out a bit better.

I think I need to get back into some card making. Lost my mo-jo for cards I think.
Have quite a few birthdays approaching so had better sort myself out!

Didn't have to wait as long as I thought

Here is the completed altered word. My niece gave it to her friend today so I can now post the pics.
It was a good luck gift for her friend who is opening a Vintage clothing store. His nickname is HATTS, am not sure what the shop is going to be called.

I kept it simple by painting & stamping each letter, then distressing it using sprays & distress inks. I didn't go mad on the embellishments as I was working to a budget & you know how expensive it gets if you get carried away. The fob watch is a working watch, which I thought would be a fab addition. Very tempted to keep it for myself lol.

My niece was pleased & apparently her friend loves it so I am happy.

 I wouldn't mind doing some boxes & maybe a clock in a similar design. Will think about that one. Anyway here are a load of pictures. Feel free to leave a comment, it would actually be quite nice, make me feel like some one actually checks this blog out lol!