Digital meets handmade

Hi Everyone

Yet another post from me today, you can tell I haven't had to work this week can't you?

Some of you may have this paper, but I have loved it for ages and not wanted to use it. I just love the design, mixing different media, it really attracts me. I also came across a post by Betsy Veldman at Moxie fab World where Betsy talks about a new trend of botanical collage.

The materials she shows and two cards she made inspired me to experiment and I came up with these.

I really like them, I know I still have a long way to go, but I enjoy playing in photoshop and mixing images together, which is what I have done with the papers and butterflies (and these are all freebies I have downloaded from the net by the way). I have then pieced papers together and overlapped them , printed over the top, coloured in with promarkers and added my own embellishments.

  I have kept to the botanical theme for these two, but I think I will experiment more with other styles and stamps.

Hope you likeeee.  B xxxx

Woo Hoo blog awards are running wild

Well another blog award this week, how lucky am I ??????

Thankyou Kathy for choosing me for this lovely blog award, what fun.

To qualify for this award I need to nominate 7 more people to give it to and tell you 7 facts about me. So, here goes  -

1. I love cats and have two of them. Since Ken and I got been married we have had 3 pairs of brothers, all male. Oh boy are they independent.
2. I have two fabulous kids, both left the nest and my son is married and we have 3 gorgeous grandaughters. (You will have seen pics if you have been following for a while).
3. I have 'retired' from teaching, having been a headteacher for 18 years I'd had enough stress and feeling tired so now I work part time as a school improvement partner. But with the new government that role could disappear by Easter. Oh well retirement could be on it's way.....
4. Ken and I got married on a Wednesday. An odd fact but I don't know anyone else married on that day. And it was a full white wedding.
5. Summer is my favourite season, I just love being warm.
6. I come from the St.Ives area in Cambridgeshire and have recently 'found' old school friends. Anyone else know that area?
7. Finding blogging and my art again has been great this year. I spend every hour I can playing and experimenting with paper, stamps, inks, colour and just anything I can get my hands on. My little office cum craft room is overflowing, goodness knows what will happen next. Oh well never mind.

Right 7 great bloggers to pass this on to -
Lisa, Heidi, Hazel, Shell - all my MAWTT team buddies who are great to be with and sooooo supportive.
Chris, Annette and Juls - who constantly keep me going with their encouragement.
Thanks girls.

Have a great end to the week especially if the weather improves.

Take care. Luv B xxx

CCC Week 11 Blended Batik

It's Friday and the weekend starts here. Mind you I haven't had to work this week so it's been great having time to catch up after our holiday. I can't believe we had thatday when it was up in the 50's and now it's rained nearly every day since getting home, but at least my garden didn't suffer too much while I was away.

I wonder if you spotted a sneak peek at this yesterday, as I was adding the photo ready for today I pressed the wrong button and instead of saving it I published it, but managed to get it back again, so off we go again............

Well I have missed taking part in the Compendium Of Curiosities challenge, but experimenting with the blended batik has made up for it. What a great technique. If you haven't tried it I do recommend you get hold of TH book and have a go at all the different things and pop on over to Studio 3 to see what wonderful creations other people are posting. So much inspiration out there. This week Simon Days Stamp and Show has a week dedicated to all things TH, so I was even more inspired to create this.

So here it is, I love the colours I have used and I have kept the layout very simple as I don't want to detract from the batik piece. The butterfly is from a necklace I picked up last year in primark. The clock is a TH salvage sticker with Idea-Ology game spinner and the ticket is the alterations die. Contact me if you want to know how I altered one of them so I could mount it on another colour. The batik, when viewed horizontally reminds me of an old wallpaper frieze. The stamp is a large foam one from QVC. (Please excuse the picture, I am experimenting in Photoshop and can't find a way to get different coloured backgrounds or soft edges  -  can it be done I ask???)

Have a great day.

Luv B xxxxx

Challenges to have fun witn -
Studio 3 - Blended Batik
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Tim Holtz Inspired
Create your days away challenge - With Wings
The Shabby Tea Room - A little bit of metal (the butterfly)
Crafty Cardmakers - Video inspiration, Lady GaGa (I hope my butterfly fits here with the mesh effect)
Inspiration Avenue - The power of words (I thought this card would be good for someone who has been poorly and will have a slow recovery, then it needs to be one step at a time)
The Craft Den Anything Goes  - Time
Flutterby Wednesday - Anything goes so long as there is a butterfly, fairy or angel on it.
ABC Challenge - B is for Blue
Paper Cutx - metal