Inchies inchies inchies

Look what arrived in the post last week..........lots more inchies from my talented friends at Opus Gluei.  These are from Deena and I love the details.......that flower pot has a twist of string around it, and the kite has a tiny length of string.......  I could have made mine so much better...so that's my vow for next time.  Work harder!!

If you have a look at my post from a week or so ago, you'll see the growing collection of inchies and how clever people can be on such a tiny canvas.

OG 164 Dive Deep

Well, it might be summer on the other side of the world, but here its's c...o...l...d..., but it IS getting slowly warmer as spring stirs.  Jana's challenge for this fortnight is to dive deep and its been a challenge in lots of ways because I've left the black behind (well, just for a week or two)....and slipped beneath the waves to add to my ATCs.  There's a merman feeding his pet fish, a little snapshot of a turtle at home, and a treasure chest overflowing with goodies.  Ah......if only I could swim!!

Here they are a little closer up.....

......lots of pearls and other bling, and bubbles and scraps of paper and ribbon from the busy room.  

Why dont you join us and explore the subterranean depths........


You have until the end of Saturday 7 September to join in with your fabulous creation. Add your blog post address to Mr Linky below. If you would like to join in with a previous challenge we've set (life happens and lateness is absolutely fine, we don't mind a bit) just add your blog post address to Mr Linky below. Please make sure your blog post refers to the previous challenge you are entering so we don't get confused. We look forward to visiting you! This is a Blog Hop!

Tiny little masterpeices

...well, maybe not, but they're fun to do and OH so fiddly.  I still think in inches to sew, but hadn't realised how much decimal measurement had infiltrated my life til I set out to make a collection of inchies.  The inch in my mind is about four times bigger than the inch on my ruler!!

These are some summer themed ones I made - using up lots of little images from my decoupage boxes, and thinking about what summer brings to mind - holidays and sunshine and not wearing very much and sitting around being lazy, and also the bush-fires we dread every year, and the drought that continues month after month after month.  I confess to adding a frame to each one because they seemed so tiny and lost.........

I'm working on a collection to rival my ATCs, and here are some others from friends...the amazing Electra can pack so much into such a tiny space - and she doesn't feel the need to frame hers!! I think my favourite is the yacht, but that's just because I'd rather be sailing.........

Just the other day, in celebration of summer, these little masterpieces came from Jana who was my inspiration to go down this miniature path.  Love the picnic basket, but I'd be very wary of that friendly looking crab.....

  
Here's a link with how to get your head around some small acts of craftiness...  Try one.

http://www.cafemom.com/group/89003/forums/read/13687414/Inchies_Twinchies_Rinchies_Rolos_Moos_Oh_My

OG 163 "The start of something........."

Whenever I think about starting something new I get all excited and enthusiastic.  I want to go out and acquire all the accoutrements of the new craft (because that's generally what it is) and find a place to work (that's relatively simple), and then a place to put things........and here I come unstuck.

However, spurred on by this challenge I have expanded my horizon a little more and gone back to sewing, and linked my new love for felting with my old love.  I've played with felt pieces before, but making felt from scratch is amazing.  The wool is soft and pulls apart in feathery wisps, and the process can be a bit like painting.  First I made a scrap with three colours, and attempted some button holes, just in case I ever feel brave enough to make a whole garment; then I made two lots of pre-felt and joined them in strips and patterns to make a scarf.  The last image is part of a pansy with shaped petals and lots of twists of wool and silk threads.  Not sure what to do with it, except make more and have yet another collection!!

I love how threads and scraps of natural fabric bond with the wool and recreate themselves into veins and decorations, and how thin layers of coloured wool combine.

 

This is a challenge for you to start something new - it doesn't have to be a crafty thing, it could be a new book I suppose, or a new recipe, but whatever it is, we want to see it.

OG 160 Pin it.........

When Pinterest appeared I was instantly drawn in......ooo-ing and ahh-ing at images of things I admired, food I wanted to make, places I wanted to see, houses I wished mine was more like........and lots and lots and lots of things I wanted to copy.  Haven't done ANY of those things, but its nice to have a goal!! 

Then we (the fabulous Opus Gluei Grand Poobahs and their team) came up with this challenge: find something you love, and make it your own. So this is the challenge: Pin it (that's the easy bit), Spin it (okay - thinking caps on), and Win it (goodies to share!!).

One of my boards is all about art that inspires me and this is the pin I saw a year ago (so my creativity has really been active Yes?  NO!!).  For my take on it I used a TE stamp and got busy with the bling and even found the heat gun to do some embossing.  I made three ATCs, and its set me off on a whole new theme for cards for friends.  I might even bravely put pen to paper and DRAW the trees instead; now that would be creative.

 

Now its your turn.....Come join us and share your interests...

Wings!

...so I associate wings with fairies....which are not really my thing.  Bad fairies being devilish I could do, but all I can imagine is Tinkerbell.  More thought....butterflies?  moths?  aeroplanes?  birds?  Whatever I choose, it will have to be an ATC because I'm thinking small wings.

Its at this point that I gave up and consulted my scrapbooks, so this is the result.  First up is a group of fairy-ish little people, perhaps elves?  They're darting off somewhere really exciting, even if that insect needs some persuading - he looks just a little uncertain.  This used up some little pieces of paper and ribbon that I'd saved...................for something  This must have been it.

But it seemed a little bland so I hunted a little further and found this angel with beautiful coloured wings and a thoughtful expression.  

All he needed was a star or two and some vaguely glittery handmade tissue.

Then of course I remembered that, knowing this Challenge was coming up, I had bought a dragonfly punch - not that I had the slightest idea what I would do with it, but trusted that inspiration would strike.   Not sure that I'd call this "inspired", but I like the base image and it only needed one little dragonfly to land on the birds of paradise.

So there you have it.  My take (or two or three) on the things with wings.  Hope you come and play with us at Opus Gluei and show us your lovely work.

OG 158 Birthdays

June is a big birthday month for me, the first week would be exhausting if everyone

had a party on their right day!!  And I'd be so much rounder from all the food and champagne.....  

I've made three cards to share - the first is for my sister in law Gaye who loves bright colours and just seems to cruise through life with a smile no matter what she faces.  I'm not deceived but I SO appreciate her ability to remain positive. I tried to use her favourite colours, and even got out the Cuttlebug to cut some flowers.  The poor machine is so dusty,  I'm amazed that I remember how to use it.  

The second card is for my friend Wendy who loves orange.  Once again I fell in love with the paper and couldn't cover up any of the shadows so there's just a bit of sparkle and some ribbon.  I like the layers of shadows in the paper.

The last card uses my favourite colours and is for my friend Sue.  Can't say how long this layered cardboard flower (and its companions) have been lurking in the busy room boxes...just another thing I HAD to have, and promptly forgot to use......til now.  

Wishing all my friends the very best of birthdays this year.

OG #157 Chat Noir

So honoured to be a part of the glorious Opus Gluei, and still a bit flabbergasted at being asked to join.
Who'd have thought it?  and I've also been favoured with a challenge that's right up my street (well, Avenue really, but since I live in Melbourne I don't suppose I'm going to be inundated with callers) (but you're welcome if you visit)

....BLACK!!  Hooray, after all those colours in the recent posts (had to sit down and fan myself).

I have made some ATCs, which are my very favourite things, until I get around to trying inchies....Black seems to go with everything, but for me  it sings best with silver and red or white.  I've used a variety of things from the bottom of the busy-room drawers and I hope you're inspired to try your hand at this lovely mysterious and romantic part of the spectrum."

The first one has a top layer of silver embossed acetate sheet over the black card, the second one uses another TE flower I've been hoarding for far too long, and the third is just a little bit of romance.  I seem to be stuck on double layers this time.

So come and join us and see what other people create too........

OG 156 - A Bouquet of flowers

Now for something completely different... I've been learning how to make felt, and its great fun but very labour intensive. It will be a while before I'm brave enough to share the things I'm turning my felt into, so I'm still buying other people's work.

 A few days ago I was introduced to a shop in the fabulous Nicholson Building in Melbourne and I bought lots of felt shapes, all sold by weight. I have a few other things planned, but here are some of the brooches I made by layering the flower shapes. Two are secured by random buttons that have been lurking around the edges of my work bench, and the other one has a blue bead at its centre.  

The one I'm keeping is the orange one, the others are destined for friends.

Don't forget to see what other people create too....

OG 155 Bicycle built for two....

When I was small, my grandmother sang only one song that I remember, and it was...

"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.
I'm half crazy all for the love of you.
It wont be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage,
But you'll look sweet
Upon the seat
......of a bicycle built for two."

So this challenge was meant for me (thank you Poobahs) and my ATC is a tiny tribute to my one-of-a-kind grandmother and her light voice gifting me this song in my memory.

I found the image on the 'net... was it really a stamp?  And the honeycomb cardstock is from one of the beautiful TE kits I'm still hoarding. See other interpretations here.....