Monumentally Blue

No, I'm not feeling particularly miserable! The RSS challenge this time, which you will find here: http://www.readysteadystamp.blogspot.com

has ingredients which include a monument and the colour blue. Also required is at least one stamp, no cute, cuttlewax technique, (see their website for a tutorial) a metal embellishment and cork. I made two pieces this time, the atc was completed first, and I was trying to make a larger item with the same elements, but it wouldn't come out right. I stopped and went off to make a journal page or two, which turned out to be about the sea - they aren't quite finished yet, I may post them when I'm happier with them. So when I came back to the challenge the sea and seaside was in my mind. I love the seaside particularly in cold winter weather - I was brought up there - in summer it always seemed to belong to the visitors, and we all had to work in our holidays anyway. I was a waitress, assistant cook, chambermaid, shop assistant, but one of my schoolfriends, Jane, had a fabulous job (I thought) looking after the donkey ride! But in the winter it was given back to us - we had more free time and there was more room. Anyway, this Crafty Individuals stamp appealed to me immensely and reminded me of Jane so here it is on this little wall plaque. Yes it was near Blackpool where I lived as a teenager! The crown on the donkey's head is metal, the lettering is cork and mounted onto a cuttlewax piece. I hope Blackpool Tower counts as a monument - it's certainly monumental! The Big Wheel is there also. On the atc, the only cork is a picture of a cork in a bottle - but we were told cork in any shape or form!

If we frame Nature, can we call it Art?

This is a thing I've been working on for ages on and off, and have now finally decided that it's finished! Or at least as finished as it ever will be. The idea was to look at images and artwork that reflected nature - who is the artist, us or nature? It's about 50 x 35 cm. The background was made with spray lustre paints, and each of the four larger panels were stamped, embossed, coloured and embellished over Basic Grey papers, using various stamps with a natural theme, then they were mounted on cream card and glimmer paper. The Stampbord pieces down the middle were mounted onto a pre-coloured strip that was printed with a leafy Rollagraph stamp and mounted onto glimmer paper. The Stampbord pieces themselves were pre-coloured, stamped amd triple embossed. Various small items were used to embellish the larger panels, such as ornate brads, die-cut corners, and a small epoxy frame and matching corner stickers. Crystal laquer was applied over various images for emphasis. I'm quite pleased with it, for a first attempt at "Wall art". My Dad is a brilliant artist, so I have a lot to live up to, which has always been a bit daunting, though this is nothing like his work. I shall definitely have another go though! I have just won a Unicorn stamp set from Elusive Images, so maybe I shall use it to make a picture for my little cousin's sixth birthday in December! (Sue, don't read this to Em, it will spoil the surprise!). Anyway, here it is! I'd be delighted to get any feedback.

On another subject, I have a commission to make 3 pieces if Stampbord or shrink plastic jewellery for Christmas presents, so will be putting in some thought about those over the next few days (between working of course) - it's nice to be able to earn a little cash from this expensive hobby of mine!