BOO !! Happy Halloween....

BOO !!

 Been busy carving pumpkins today!!
and this is my Halloween 2011 effort...

I know, I know....need to get out more LOL!!

Pumpkin inspired  (OK...'pinched' the carving idea from google images!!)

-oOo-

TRICK OR TREAT!!

Catching up here...on posting about some of the Halloween swaps I've been involved in....

This is the Halloween matchbox I made for Gail

over at the

Flickr Matchbox Group

Witches on  Fabric, buttons and charms...

 Inside the matchbox

My  Goodies for Gail...

-oOo-

Ready for more 'weenie' wonders!....

 these are the lovelies I receieved from my partner Karen....

Also over at the

Flickr Matchbox Group

How cool is this  Coffin shaped matchbox...

 ..and more witchiness on the inside

WOW!! Goodies from Karen...

Altered bottle cap, spoon, inchie booklet, card and a bag of choccy/candy :)

...And definitely more Treats than Tricks !!

Thanks again for a fabulous swap Karen!!

 Just peeking out the door, Not a witch in sight but did see this tonight...

No, it's not a spooky UFO

Just the Goodyear Blimp flying over Thurrock!!

-oOo-

Oh...another Halloween trade!!

Remember these?...

These are the crafty goodies that I sent to my lovely friend Linda

for our little (5 item) Halloween Challenge.

(Mmmm, there is actually 6 items there!!= not 5!!)

..... and this is the Halloween tag and matchbox that I altered for Linda.

...and this is the Halloween gorgeousness I received in return.

WOW...Linda is sooo talented, I just love our little swaps!!

How spookylicious is the little Halloween booklet inside the matchbox!

Thanks again Linda for another fab swap!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!

Thanks for stopping by..

Jan x

Let's Get shabby Challenge #29

Here's my DT creation for

 Let's Get Shabby,

Challenge #29

 .....it's a Monochromatic Challenge. 

I decided to alter a letter rack

 in tones of  Brown

It was more difficult than I thought it would be to stick to one colour tone.

Anyway.....

Here's my shabby creation...

... Just perfect to store some cabinet cards

 Check out the Full Challenge criteria

and the beautiful monochromatic examples

the Design Team have created

HERE

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jan x

Speckled egg - Petite Inspiration Box Swap - Curiosities Edition

Curiosities

I've just recently participated in Heather's 

 Speckled-Egg Petite Inspiration Swap Box,

Heather organizes the most fabby trades.

The theme of this swap is Curiosities ,

 ...the idea is to decorate the box and fill it to brim with inspiration/artsy goodies

My swap partners are

Julia  from Russia

and

Jane from the UK

These are the boxes I made for my swap partners...

For Jane, she loves Halloween themes...
So I altered my box for her, with a Raven witch, lace, pumpkin and broomstick!!

My Goodies for Jane...

-oOo-

..and this is the box I altered for Julia.

Julia doesn't celebrate Halloween in Russia

She said she liked shabby style and frozen charlotte dolls...

which inspired me to create  this ...

Goodies for Julia....

-oOo-

....and these are the lovelies I received from my swap partners...

from Jane...

...a Gorgeous Halloween decorated box

filled with some wonderful lovelies...

Gorgeous trims, pins, glass pebbles, doll, but my fave is the sweet little owl!
-oOo-
 and from Julia...

...another fabulous box

....soooooo curious to find out what was inside!

and WOW Look at all these lovely goodies. 

crochet flowers, buttons, clay faces, cherub, shells, french vintage emphera, but what really took my breath away, was this little cutie...

I have admired Julia's little baby creations on her blog, so was ever so Happy to receive one in her swap package!
So adorable!!

Thanks again Julia and Jane for being Fabulous Swap partners.
I just adore everything you both have sent!

Thanks for Stopping by!
Jan x

The Play Date Cafe Chall #104

I've been missing sketching and journalling

....so needed to find some inspiration to

draw and paint some faces again...

I have always loved this blog and after many, many months of lurking, I've decided to give one of their challenges a go!

I adore this week's colours over at

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #104

Mauve...Egg Yolk...Artichoke
So, here is my take on this challenge...

I drew one of my faces in my journal,

and used watercolour pencils, paints, gesso, rubberstamp, strips of vintage music sheet and computer printed words.

I've always got the radio or ipod playing while I craft...
I find it amazing how music can influence our moods...
...and the results of my crafty projects.
....So , Listening to a little bit of
 Jessie J -  'Who you are'
Loving the lyrics of her new ditty...
...I've also added some lyric quotes from her song

...added strips of music paper before I painted the background and the circles (Holiday Baubles stamp by Hero Arts) are stamped with Gesso and tinted with watercolour pencils.

Happy 2nd Anniversary
The Play Date Cafe
and Thank you for the colourful inspiration :)

Thanks for stopping by
Jan x

Fall in Love with Buttons Swap...

Over at Button Floozies,
 I took part in a swap to alter an Altoids tin,

 ...filling it with autumn coloured or autumn themed buttons,
 to send to my swap partner!
I was partnered up with the lovely
Tabitha at Creative Wings Boutique
-oOo-
This is the tin I altered for Tabitha...

Filled to the brim with old/new autumn coloured/themed buttons. 

-oOo-

..and this is the beautiful altered 'Fall' button tin and lovely tag that I received in return from Tabitha

 Full of vintage buttons 'swoon'

 Thank you again Tabitha for being a fab swap partner
...and for a wonderful tin full of vintage buttons.
Can't wait to use them on future projects.

Thanks for Stopping by!
Jan x