Torso Challenge (you may need your sunglasses!)

 

  

The current challenge on the

Art 'n' Soul

Flickr group is to

decorate a torso in any way we like.

A template for the torso can be viewed

here.

I cut my torso from mountboard and covered it with 

Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth

which is a plaster guaze product you wet and mould to shape.

I used it to give my torso a bust.

I used a combination of sprays to add colour

(Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Pashmina,

Crafty Notions Creative Colour - Spraypaque Fire Opal & White Matte)

I draped some hand dyed (not by me) gauze

over the shoulder and around the neck using

a little Mod Podge to secure it.

 

 .... some pink fibre around the waist

... cotton lace trim at the hem (again hand dyed, but not by me).

I didn't intend for it to be so pink, it just happened -

you can take your sunglasses off now, there's no more photos!

The challenge ends on 14th April and then our

swap partners will be announced.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the other torsos,

thank you for looking at mine (ooeer missus!!).

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, Week 143

As I'm still up I thought I'd join in with showing what's on my desk.

I've started to alter a torso for the Flickr swap on

Art 'n' Soul

What you can see is the reverse side of the torso,

the other side is much messier, but I won't show it just yet

as it's still very much a work in progress.

There's also a template for a matchbox - but I don't

like the size of it.  I couldn't believe that the Pound Shop

no longer sells matchboxes.

They sell lighters, but I don't fancy altering one of those!

I shall be hunting around tomorrow for some small matchboxes

as I need some for a couple of swaps I'm in.

I want to join in with Elizabeth's altered book course 

but have been having trouble finding the right sort of book.

This is the best I could find - it doesn't have as many pages

as I'd like, but it'll have to do.

Finally, I thought I'd show you some  things I've

received recently from swaps.

These two beauties came from 

Jandee of Jandee's Play Space

along with a multitude of other goodies.

This fabulous art block and card are from

Jan of Jan's Arty Journey
I don't know why the link doesn't work,

(here's the url in full   

http://jansartyatcjourney.blogspot.com/2012/02/art-block-trade.html)

Last but not least, this gorgeous Valentine

altered matchbox and goodies arrived today from

Les of Harmony Road Studios

That's about it for now - if you want to see other desks

hop on over to Julia's place

Stamping Ground

where she'll point you in the right direction

- well Mr Linky will anyway!

Goodnight all, and thanks for looking -

I'll come and look at your desk too if you

let me know you've been here!

Baby Ribbon Challenge

The lovely people at

Crafty Ribbons

recently launched a new and exclusive range of

Baby Ribbons

and invited people to make two projects

using some of the ribbons.

I was lucky enough to take part in their challenge -

here are the ribbons they sent me

(I chose the pink option, but blue is also available naturally!)

   

As I always struggle to make any decent greetings card,

I decided to cover two notebooks with fabric instead.

I started off with the pink stripy one.

 I made a card base for the cover just slighter larger

than the notepad (which is actually a 'Things To Do' Post-It note pad).

I didn't have any suitable pink fabric, so using a piece of white

cotton, coloured it with some Distress Stain - 'Spun Sugar'.

It dried up to a lovely pale pink colour which co-ordinated nicely 

with the ribbons which I machine stitched on top.

I made a loop at the top so the book may be hung up if necessary.

I had a bit more fun with the second one as it involved a face!

I cut out a face and neck shape from white cotton,

stitched a few ribbons at the bottom to make some clothes

and hand embroidered the basic features on.

I used more black embroidery thread for the messy hair

and a little dab of pastel for the rosy cheeks and eye shadow.

Out came my old jeans again - I thought the pale denim

would contrast nicely with the pinks and greens -

and they became the cover.

The little girl was machine stitched on top of the cover

along with a few ribbons - the 'Cute As A Button' one

fitted well I think. 

Between the card base and the top fabric is a layer

of thin wadding to give the books a slighty padded feel.

Here's what the inside looks like.

This was something a bit different, but I enjoyed the challenge.

Thanks for looking x

Altered Matchbox - for Valentine

It looks as though I may be (almost) back to normal - 

although the font looks a little different to usual.

Just to bore you a little more - I have got the Mozilla Firefox

up and working.  For my previous post, I was still browsing on 

Internet Explorer .... hmmm, we'll see how it goes now ....

Still there?   Good, I'll show you something I've made...

This is a matchbox I altered for the February challenge

over on the Matchbox Monthly Flickr group. 

Now my swap partner, 

Les of Harmony Road Studio

 has received it, I can show it here.

The theme was Valentines - all things hearts, love and cupid.

I stated off by covering the matchbox with some self adhesive silver tape 

I used Tim Holtz (doh, don't mention Tim Holtz - my credit card is still

hot from all the purchases I made on QVC's craft day on Tuesday!)

well, I used his Sizzix/Alterations die to cut the heart.

(I also embossed it for more detail)

.... I covered the card with silver tape and book text before

putting through the die cut machine.

Then used three colours of alcohol ink 

This is one of my favourite colour combinations 

Pink Sherbert - Cloudy Blue - Cool Peri

I used a piercing tool to etch a few feathery lines on the wings.

Now the fun part, finding little bits and pieces to fill the matchbox with!

and just for good measure, I filled a little glass bottle

 with teeny weeny hearts too

For next month, the challenge is to alter a matchbox

to the theme of 'Shamrocks'!

"March will be all about the Shamrock, you must have a shamrock or shamrocks in or on the outside of the box. It can be the main theme it can be small it can be held in the hand of an image, but, you must have a shamrock."

Les, the owner of the Flickr group is looking for some new members,

 so if you'd like to join in you have until 9th March

to sign up for the swap. 

 

Thanks for staying with me .... I promise not to moan

any more .... well, maybe I won't promise, but you get my drift!

 

Shabby Chic Mini Book - page for February 'Hearts'

I really have no idea what's going on with my blog at the moment.

I haven't altered any of the settings but my blog posts can only be made

under the old style editor, which after using the updated version is so frustrating.

Thanks for the comments and help given.

I have uploaded Mozilla Firefox, but can't see that it's helped?

I don't even know if it's loaded (although it did say 'installed') as at the top

of my screen it's still showing 'Windows Internet Explorer' even though

I set the Firefox as the default browser!

I really haven't a clue about all this.

Anyway, I don't know what this post is going to look like when published

(if it gets published at all that is!), but I shall stop moaning now and press on!

The photo at the top of this post is of a page I made for a

'Shabby Chic Mini Book' challenge

this is the page for February and the theme is 'Hearts'

I started off with a card base and machine stitched various strips of seam binding and ribbons onto it. I painted a heart shape in the centre with Gesso and machine stitched around the shape a few times. I added a few other hearts from old book text and scraps of fabric.

I stretched some sari ribbon across the back and machine stitched into place, leaving the scruffy edges showing at the front to add to the shabbiness of it.
Fingers crossed when I press 'publish post' in a moment, it'll work!