Brangles!!

Yes, that IS a word!!! A cross between a bracelet and a bangle, in fact. As I have my first jewellery event of the year looming, I thought I'd better leave the messy stuff and get some stock built up. If you don't make it, you can't sell it eh?!!!
So, first on the list were some brangles....... the 'bangle' part is a length of thick wire, that the beads, spacers and coils are threaded onto. Loops made in the ends, and then chain and a clasp can be added. The thick wire can be gently shaped to the contours of the wrist, and the clasp gives added security so it won't come off!
Choosing the right beads for these is essential, as the wire used is thick (I used 1.6mm copper wire). Most beads simply don't have holes big enough! I use pairs or orphan Lampwork beads that I have accumulated over the past few years. These are made on thicker mandrels, so the wire will easily go through. I have to admit I don't know who made the green-ish beads in the first pic, for some reason my system of keeping business cards with the beads so they are identifiable has gone wrong! The name Wendy rings a bell......anyway, the beads in the other were created by two of my favourite bead makers, Julie Fountain of Lush Lampwork , and Kaz Baildon of Cheeky Cherub Designs . I have to say, the beads I've used are soooo not representative of their main creations, these are just spacer beads! Go check out their web sites to see the gorgeousness on offer!
What, you want to see them rather than read my waffling?!!! OK....

Both brangles were oxidised by me, then polished back up slightly, to give the antiqued look. I did actually make a whole load of them, but that'd be too much of the same kind of thing to show you!!
After I made these, I taught myself to make Shamballa bracelets. Which wasn't good thing as now I have a list from my daughters detailing their requirements! Better get busy then.....
love Trish xx

Bluebird Birdhouse!

The finished birdhouse from yesterdays 'before' picture!!
Bit of background....... Last year, I designed a project for Beads And Beyond magazine called When Happy Little Bluebirds Fly (which you can see HERE ). I used two gorgeous little glass bead birds made by the very talented Les Nixon of Mad Cat Glass , sitting above a seed bead rainbow. They arrived back with me recently, and rather than just putting them in a corner somewhere, I decided to make them a home.....hence the birdhouse!!!!

After the painty start you saw yesterday, I stamped a lot of tissue with text, flourishes and a vine, then attached them with Mod Podge. I made some small paper bunting, and a star to go on top. The birds look very pleased to have a house of their own don't you think?!!

Looks a bit different from yesterday, huh?!!
Love Trish xx

WOYWW 137!

Welcome to Wednesday..................!
And that means...the fabulous peeks of everyones crafty workspaces! Hosted by the fabulous Julia HERE !
Why not pop over and have a look at what everyone is up to today!
My workdesk is painty again (now there's a surprise!). This time its halfway through a birdhouse! I love decorating large 3D objects, very theraputic. Not showing you closeups today because at the moment it's waaaaay to bright, needs to be toned down a lot. Not sure about the in-your-face stripes.Anyway, this will get finished today, so feel free to drop back tomorrow to see the finished piece!

Thanks for looking!
Off to go look at everyone elses work..may be some time!!!!
Love Trish xxxxxxxxxxxx

Penny Black -Anything Goes!

Over on the Penny Black Saturday Challenge Blog , this weeks theme is anything goes!!!
I love the Penny Black botanicals and nature stamps, and have large quantities of both (!), so I thought I would do my own messy, inky take on the theme. Thinking about it, its quite restrained for me........

Dragonfly Dance has the brush dragonfly image as the main focal point, and i've also used 'Twinkling' and 'Berry Wreath' as background stamps, stamped using paint around the borders.

I created the background by spraying pink ink onto cardstock, then added turquoise and black printing and stamping. The dragonfly was stamped directly onto the background using black VersaMagic ink, then I added on some text printed from my computer.
Thankls for looking!
Love Trish x

Simon Says Stamp....

Anything but a Card!!!
Thats the name of the theme over at the Simon Says Stamp and Show Blog!
I thought I might have a go this week, so here is my effort...a canvas board.

I painted the background, then added painty flourishes and various printed shapes. The Stampotique image was stamped onto card then added, the stars were stamped onto tissue and adhered with Mod Podge. I chose a phrase from my stash of cut up book pages, and it was done!
Closeups....

Hope you like it!
Love Trish x

Revamped......

I made this canvas board piece last summer.......

Didn't really like it for some reason, too big for the images, too much blank space etc etc etc. So I decided to revisit it, rework and add bits to see if I could make it better. Here is the revamped piece......

I made it darker by adding more teal paint, put the stars in to fill up some space, and stamped more flourishes. The good thing is that once you've added images using the Mod Podge / tissue method they effectively become glazed.(Even if its a matt finish) Because of this, you can get paint over the top of them and still wipe it away if you're quick! Yes I know I should really mask off the images, but I'm a tad lazy sometimes!
Closeups.....

I definitely like it better now!
Love Trish xx

Orange!

Yesterdays post showed the background I managed to create when I challenged myself to work with orange...... Well, I finished it!

As I thought, I added a Zettiology image of the girl, and stitched around the edges. The machine packed up halfway cross the bottom strip, you can see where it left holes not thread! However, a happy accident as I quite like the holes! I added a lot more background stamping/printing, put some words on and outlined a few bits. I think I like it!
Couple of close ups...

Enjoy!
Love Trish xxx

WOYWW -136 !!!

Eeeeek...first time for me to join in with this challenge!
Whats On your Workdesk Wednesday....fab challenge for us to show just what we've been working on (and just how messy our workspaces are!!) Hosted by Julia (where you will find all the details), there is so much to see of you go check it out!
My desk today...... has a background I created yesterday, all waiting for me to add images and the final touches. This was a real 'push yourself' challenge for me...I forced myself to use orange, something that I rarely do! So rarely, I had to take the plastic off the dabber to use it!
I'm thinking a Zetti image and some stitching....will reveal all when its done!

Wild and Precious spirit....

or, the tag from my last post all prettied up!!!
This tag is the central one that had the paint smeared all over.

I did my usual gesso brayering over the paint, then stamped a Tim flourish and some words down one side. The main image is a good contender for my favourite image ever, made by the now sadly defunct One Stamp Dreamer company. I've been looking for years for a whole body, modern, masculine image to match this......not found one yet! Anyone with any ideas, shout!!!! A Post Modern Design quote is stamped along the edge. Another old stamp i've had for years and years, who knows if they're still going!

So, a quick and easy project, because the background tag was already done using the canvas board leftovers!
Love Trish xx

Waste not, want not.....

One of the most inspirational artists around, Dina Wakely, shared a tip a while back. She said she always keeps any spare paint, inks etc from a project to use another time. By that I mean wiping up any leftovers, using tags or smearing directly into journals etc. Fab, unexpected colour combinations and patterns emerge, and can be a starting point for new art projects. Great idea I thought, so since then I've been doing just that. I thought I'd show you just how this works in practice..........
I made this canvas board.......

Using red, mauve and lime paint, with plenty of gesso thrown in for good measure!
One of Dinas own stamps from her line for Stampington....

And a 50p special stamp I discovered in my local Home Bargains store!

Once I'd finished the canvas, there was a load of paint still on the piece of acetate I use as a palette. I swiped the painty acetate over three tags, and let them dry to use later.

Three different effects, the left hand one had gesso added, the middle one is just excess paint applied with a palette knife and the right hand side tag simply printed with the acetate.
I'm planning on some studio time tomorrow, so I'll show you if anything creative comes from one of them!
Love Trish xx