In the spirit of Shrove Tuesday

As we make pancakes to use up food supplies ahead of fasting in Lent, I have been putting some of the many bits and pieces of crafting supplies to good use this month - some for swap items to be revealed at a later date, and a couple below just because...

This first is a new home ATC for a fellow craft swapper who moved house recently. This is based on a left over sheet of experimental background technique made with spray inks over Brilliance on glossy card. At the last minute, after the photo, I had the presence on mind to add a different number to match the recipients new address.

This is a brooch made from another experiment - this time alcohol ink on Stampbord - which I mounted onto a birthday card made from hand made (but, I confess, not by me) paper.



And I finally got round to taking a quick snap of my January journal page with random scribblings added. 

February is underway - no really it is despite my past record of tardiness! Unfortunately so far most comment is about the snow. I'm steeling myself to fill the rest of the page - probably with cross black scribble rather than anything profound to reflect the general gloomy mood after a very sad couple of weeks with the funerals of two colleagues. I will show when it is done but don't expect pretty.

365 journal and February swap

Oh dear! Hangs head in shame - late with my 365 journal for month one and no good excuse.

Here is the page ready to start - only small and I'm being ad hoc again so I have made entries but just not managed to take the finished picture yet. It will be along soon.

In my defense February is started and has the ubiquitous snow entry already!!!! And I've also done my postcards - letters C and D - for the monthly alphabet themed swap. Just as well really as I scalded my hand last Wednesday and it is very painful at the moment. These are the fronts.

 And these are the backs.

January swaps

Last year (during my blog black out) I took part in an art swap where we made odd sized art. Essentially this was like making and swapping ATCs except that the size of our "canvas" was roughly a sixth of an A4 sheet - to fit into a ring binder wallet with six pockets.

Once we had all filled six spaces with swapped work we realised that another six pieces were required to display through the backs of the pockets so we are making more to swap in January and February in two sets of three.

Here I have made two using gel medium to transfer images on to a sprayed walnut ink background. I did make a third (well the first try actually) that went a lot wrong.

As a result I used some more of the background and old sewing patterns to make the third and a reserve just in case.

In 2012 we are also doing a monthly postcard swap with an alphabetical theme. For January we are making two double sided cards themed on A and B. I'm hoping, though it hasn't been mentioned yet, that when we get to the tricky ones like X,Y and Z we only need do one side! That way we should get all letters done in 2 months too.

Here is my ecclectic mix of things inspired by A and B. First a mixed media abstract - does what it says on the tin.

And on the reverse some good old fashioned plain stamping.

And for B a some ink blots and collage elements.

And more collage on the reverse with some stamping thrown in.

12 days of Christmas

I belong to a wonderful group of crafters who swap work and various themes throughout the year and every year we do a 12 days of christmas swap which involves each of us making 12 of the same item. Our marvellous coordinator then makes up a parcel for each participant with 12 different gifts from each of the other participants.

This year I made tag calendars and Christmas tree ornaments to send.

And in return I got 3 very beautiful and different brooches...

 Three clever and useful stationery items: a note book, desk calendar (with drawer that was full of chocolates) and a magnetic post it note holder now displayed on the side of my fridge...

Two lovely crafty books, one to hold ATCS and the other with pages each showing a useful prompt to kick start ideas for projects...

And three amazing stitched creations, a purse, a seasonal book mark and a case which I shall use for one of my many pairs of glasses.

Huge amounts of thanks go to the very talented artists who created these beautiful gifts for me.

Some of my work next time as evidence I haven't really done absolutely nothing during my blogging blackout.