That's Life...

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I'm back with my second piece for the 'It's a Bugs Life' challenge over at Country View Crafts. Fresh from my Antonis Tzanidakis workshops at Country View Towers, I was eager to use his range again, and they fitted in perfectly with our bugs theme.

I have lots of pictures, so there won't be many more words from me. My typing is terrible at the moment, as I can't read the screen without my glasses 'cos I sit like a hunched up praying mantis, but when I sit back I can't see anything with or without them - oh the joys of ageing!!  

I started with this fab Mechanical Fantasy Stamperia pad by Antonis. I took a deep breath and cut into it (gulp) 

One of the really good things about the pad is that there is a print inside the front cover, so I used that too!.

I chose some sheets and cut out some hexagons with a die as I wanted a honeycomb pattern.

I found the middle of my board and started from there.

I liked how it looked, but there was something missing. I thought, 'what would it look like with some stitching'

Of course I liked it more, but that meant I had to sew around the whole lot doh!

I also stuck some of the paper on a large wooden heart and stamped the huge bug from the Time Machine stamp set.

I wanted some crackle, so I went through a stencil with the Stamperia Transparent Crackle Paste, but rookie error, I forgot to seal the paper first.

Ok plan B... I covered it all with some Vintage Distress Collage Medium and let it dry. It gave it a lovely aged look, and it meant that I could now put on some crackle medium and antiquing cream without messing up what was underneath.

So I went over the old stencilling with some Stamperia White Crackle Paste - all was well again. I went over the crackle with some DecoArt Antiquing Cream in Raw Umber to bring out the detail.

The spider and web are also from Antonis' Stamperia collection, and this plate is Memories Never Die.

The sentiment is also from the paper pad.

And we're all done!

This was a real fun piece to make apart from the bit where it was all ruined, and I was never going in my craft room again, and oh yeah that's all fixed lol.

There's still plenty of time to join in with our challenge, so I hope to see you over at Country View Crafts.

Have a fun week, and thanks very much for looking x

It's A Bugs Life

Good morning,  happy Saturday, and welcome to June. Do you remember last year when it was the start of a very long, hot Summer, I'm hoping that we get a little more of that! The fun new challenge over at Country View Crafts has been chosen by the lovely Jane, and it's 'It's a Bugs Life' Only a couple of months ago I was in Africa in Disney enjoying this film, though it seems like years ago now. Here's what I've made.

 I started with a Clarity stencil and some Distress Inks and brushes.

Then I used my very favourite 'happy birthday' sentiment which is a JOFY one  for Paper Artsy.

 I made a bit of a mess of it at the top, but it hardly showed, till I tried to correct it then it was much more obvious doh!

The stamped butterfly is by Rubber Dance, and the flying critters are Tim Holtz's Geo Springtime , and Geo Insects. I cut these with some wax paper and the pieces fell out beautifully, but then I lost the will to live trying to paper piece them so I just cut them a few times in different papers.

The 'wild and free' is by Rubber Dance, and I've matted and layered another 'happy birthday' so all's well again.

 I hope you have a very happy June, and be kind to the bugs, we need the bugs - except flies, no one needs flies!

Take care, and thanks very much for looking x