Funky Fowls from Norway

These fantastic characters flew into my craft room today, they are

"Clara & Fredrikke, The Terrible Twos"

They also arrived with some lovely fabrics

.... and I even have patterns and instructions for making up

some of my own Funky Fowl projects!

If you're wondering why,

 it's because I was lucky enough to win a 500th post giveaway from

Nina Lise

aka Mrs Moen

                                           

These two photographs are from Mrs Moen's blog and they show up all the wonderful stitching - I'll be amazed if I could achieve anything like this.

Thank you again Nina Lise for this wonderful giveaway.

The cushion cover fits the cushions on the sofa bed in my craft room

so it is already in place and so far Clara & Fredrikke are

behaving themselves!

If you haven't already visited Mrs Moen's blog I would recommend it

as you'll find all sorts of beautiful creations, tutorials and patterns

and bucket loads of inspiration too.

Just off now to have a word with a couple of funky fowls!!

More Stamp and Shrink Charms

Following on from yesterday's post I've made three more charms

for the 'Stamp and Shrink Charm' swap.

Thank you to those who left me lovely comments, I really do appreciate them!

I used these stamps this time

The oriental looking one is 'The Calligraphy Robe' from

 Stampington and Company.

 I stamped it onto black Shrink Plastic then coloured over it in part

with gold acrylic paint, which on reflection wasn't the best idea as it's covered up most of the detail on the robe!  I don't much care for the face either

as it looks like a negative print.  Maybe I'll make another on white Shrink Plastic.

On the plus side though, I like the hanging beads and Chinese coins

which are quite tactile and make a pleasing sound when jangled.

For the next one I used three stamps from the 'London Underground'

from the Artistic Outpost - I just love these stamps!

I used clear Shrink Plastic this time which I much prefer as once

shrunk you can still see the image from the back.

Finally, I did another from the Character Constructions set,

but this time on black Shrink Plastic and StazOn opaque 'cotton white' ink.

I have a few tips I'd like to share -

and if I don't record them here, I'll only forget about them!!

• Once shrunk the shrink plastic can be embossed with embossing powder - I did this on the reverse of one of my charms then rubber stamped an image into it, it's great for covering up an untidy back.  I did read this on another blog but can't remember whose it was - sorry!
• When cutting out the rubber stamped image from the Shrink Plastic leave a slight silhouette around it - ie, don't cut right into the edge of the image.  This gives the image more definition and it looks better.
• Finally, this one is from Lesley who has discovered that ACETATE also works well to shrink.  I shall be trying that one out!                      Thanks again Les!

EDIT:  I tried out the acetate, but it didn't shrink for me :(

I used a heat gun and quite thick acetate - maybe it depends upon

the type of acetate and the method used for shrinking?

If you have a go I'd be interested in hearing how it went for you.

Stamp and Shrink Charm Swap

Shrink Plastic is something I rarely use but I do have a little supply of it in my craft room - like most crafters I suppose, I have a little bit of most things but don't often use all of it.

When I saw this 'stamp and shrink charm swap' on

 the artists nest

Ning Network group recently, and some of the examples made

I was inspired to have a go myself.

Here's the stamps I used from Stampotique and Character Constructions.

So it was just a case of stamping onto the clear Shrink Plastic with black

StazOn Ink, colouring (the two Stampotique ones) with Marvy Le Plumme

pens, punching holes into and then heating and shrinking with the heat gun.

This one is my favourite as I like the dangling arms and sewing machine charm (attached with jump rings).

I just added a few beads and findings to these two.

I like the girly one with the heart and the other one is more masculine.

I added a glass gem to his chest as after shrinking there was a large

dimple there and I don't know where it came from!

Here you can see the size of the charms in relation to the stamps.

I might have to make some more now!

Thanks for looking :)

"Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens"

These are a few of my favourite things - well not mine exactly, or my swap partners for the July Matchbox swap on Flickr, but that was the theme -

'My Favourite Things'.

I was selected to alter a matchbox for

Gail aka heydiggity on Flickr.

Gail listed some of her favourite things as vintage, shabby chic and Paris.

I covered the box with some of the tissue tape from Tim Holtz -

the one with the French text on, I can't remember what it's called.

I coloured over the top in parts with some blue metallic rub on paste.

The flower is made from denim and lace.

I found a great tutorial on YouTube which uses the Bigz Die from

Sizzix/Alterations 'tattered florals' - or any other flower die.

You can find it here.

I cut another piece of the denim to line the inside of the matchbox

and rubber stamped a suitable Parisian image on

(from Crafty Individuals)

I edged the drawer with some lace and added a

Hitch Fastener from Tim Holtz idea-ology range for the drawer pull.

Inside, I filled with a few bits and pieces

and some Eiffel Tower earrings.

I know Gail has received the matchbox now

and am delighted to hear that she likes it.

I received a beautiful matchbox today from

Lynne in Australia

 (who was selected to alter a box for me)

 and it can be seen on her

Flickr photostream here.

Thanks for looking!

Denim Disco Divas!

They're back, now dressed in their jeans - or rather scraps of my old ones.

They love to boogie

High school boogie, jitterbug boogie

They love to boogie on a Saturday night!

.... but it's Sunday afternoon now ....

end of dance!

Thanks for stopping by to look :)