MrsBeez

Pride and Prejudice 2

Posted on September 11, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I am sharing another little shadow box that I made as one of my Gecko Galz Design Team projects:

This is the inside of a larger shaped matchbox. The image is from the Gecko Galz Jane’s Story ephemera set which has a lovely collection of Jane Austen type images.

I glued some Autumn Flowersoft around the inside edges of the box, with a little moss along the bottom edge.

P1050161

I used dyed seam binding on the outside edge of the box and created a matching crinkly bow to the top.

The finishing touches were to add a frame of leaf ribbon trim and some little golden flowers with pearl centres.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Car craft

Posted on September 10, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Hopefully, by the time you read this, youngest Beez will have returned safely from his travels across Europe. Today happens to also be his birthday so of course there will be cake, cards and presents too. It will be lovely to have everyone back together, even if just for a short while.

This week’s word over at Every Inchie Monday is “car”. Still unable to create less than four at a time, I’ve chosen some images from The Gecko Galz Start Your Engines ephemera set to make these little foursome:

The background is made from a strip of black and white checks, this is part of the set, to which I’ve added the shrunken images of the cars.

I’ve applied the cars using small 3d foam pads, just to give them a bit of definition.

The small chequered flags were created in Word and I ‘ve curled them to add some movement

I realise that I failed to photograph one of them in close-up. I’ll try and put that right at some point.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Seaside treasure

Posted on September 9, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I am sharing another little altered matchbox with a surprise inside. Being Monday, all images are from The Graphics Fairy and I shall be linking this up for her Brag Monday party.

This is a regular size matchbox which I first covered with a bit of gauze/muslin, leaving lots of rough edges, for a flotsam and jetsam feel. However, after I had done this I decided upon the Treasure from the Sea idea and consequently covered most of my painstaking work up with the label.

This was a Graphics Fairy image to which I added text, the little price tag was created in Word. I gave the label a coat of PVA and then added tiny blue beads and shells.

So to the surprise inside!!

I’ve used a seahorse image and some butterfly wings from The Graphics Fairy to create a cross-breed which I’d like to think is a sea-horse fairy (I know, I live in a different world!). I used blue textured, pearlised paper for the background and added a little Icelandic moss, some shells and a pearl. The seahorse has a little coating of glitter.

When I started this, my intention had been to create a seahorse fairy but somehow it evolved into this. Although I like the seahorse, I actually prefer the outside of the box and how it turned out; which wasn’tI’ve used a seahorse image and some butterfly wings from The Graphics Fairy to create a cross-breed which I’d planned in any way whatsoever!.

Thanks for buzzing by and have a good week.

Back with the birds

Posted on September 8, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today sees the start of a new Sunday Stampers challenge and the theme this week is birds. I decided to go with a tag

Making the background for this was great fun. I used Melted Chocolate ink from Dylusions together with Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade and Mowed Lawn distress inks. I put the distress inks on my Splodge mat, spritzed with water and then swooshed it through then sprayed on the Dylusions from a distance so it just covered the tag with a light mist. Once dry, I over stamped using Gathered Twigs.

This fab new stamp came as part of a set from My Mind’s Eye that I picked up in the Create and Craft Sale.

The owl image is from The Graphics Fairy and after inking the edges I popped it onto a piece of hessian then made a little nest arrangement of Icelandic moss, flowers and stamens.

I’ve also added a tiny star.

The moon is another Graphics Fairy image and I put an epoxy sticker over the top of it.

I probably should have added a word or some words at the bottom, and I really meant to, but forgot until I came to take the photo’s and then it was too late. (Well, if the truth be told there was a cup of tea and some dunking biscuits with my name on them)

Despite today being warm and sunny, there’s a definite autumnal feeling in the air and I think my tag reflects that.
Congratulations to Hels Sheridan over at Sunday Stampers who is celebrating her 6th year of blogging. Be sure to buzz over and leave her some love

Hope you enjoyed your weekend and thanks for buzzing by.

Last dragonflies of summer

Posted on September 7, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I have learned a number of things. I’ve learned where my nail varnish remover went to, that Raspberry Marshmallow fluff is the stickiest substance on earth and that Wonka Nerds hurt – a lot – when you kneel on them. How have I learned these things? By giving youngest Beez’ room a bit of a clean out before he comes back from holiday next week. Anyone who has a son is likely to understand that this was a foolish and reckless task to embark on, particularly on a Saturday. I didn’t even wear protective clothing!

So not much time for craftiness today but I do have a quick tag to share with you:

This tag is made with some beautiful vintage dragonfly images from The Gecko Galz which I’ve glittered. I made two copies of the image, glued one flat and then decoupaged the second image on top using glue gel.

The background is a blend of different distress inks which were then spritzed with water. I’ve used my script stamp and Vintage Photo over the top.

The scrabble tiles are also from the Gecko Galz and have been applied with 3D foam.

The finishing touch was a seam binding bow.

Don’t you just love dragonflies? Take a look at this one:

The picture of this red dragonfly was taken by eldest Beez during his recent trip to China.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Can you blue-ieve it!

Posted on September 6, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Apologies for that dreadful play on words in the title. Today I am sharing a card for this week’s challenge at Papercraft Star. This is the inspiration photo’

And here’s what I came up with:

My default setting wanted to go immediately to something with cupcakes but I’ve been itching to do something along these lines for a while, so decided to scratch that itch!

I used two different paint sample cards and punched out circles and butterflies from different shades of blue. In between the matching butterflies and circle I’ve popped on a punched scallop circle, I felt this replicated the cupcakes in the photo’.

Getting that far was all fine and dandy, but goodness me I faffed around for ages, more so than usual, trying to put the finished card together so I was happy. In the end, simplicity won out and I’m not entirely sure the ribbon brings anything to the party but decided to leave it where it was!

Thanks for buzzing by.

Blue and birds but not bluebirds

Posted on September 5, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Even though we live in a city suburb, and our garden is on the small side, we do get an amazing variety of visiting birdlife. This may be due in part to Mr Beez offering two varieties of bird brunch! Last year we were lucky enough to have two robins build a nest in our rockery. We became surrogate grandparents watching them hop in and out of their hidey hole and prayed they wouldn’t become prey for visiting predators. Our garden is generally bossed by the pigeon posse and a squirrel that frequently over steps the mark but owls, bats, cats and of course foxes also do the rounds.

The theme at City Crafter this week is birds and the colour blue. The Design Team have produced some amazing samples with the most gorgeous images, be sure to buzz over and take a peek. Inspired by their samples I’ve also gone with a vintage feel:

I’ve used two lovely images from The Graphics Fairy, beautiful designer papers from Tim Coffey and My Craft Studio together with plain cardstock to create lots of mats and layers. I’ve inked all the edges with Vintage Photo.

The finishing touches are some ivory crochet lace and some paper flowers.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Sweet Friend

Posted on September 4, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I have been recipe writing and testing for my job. Unless you’ve done it, you probably wouldn’t believe what a performance it is. Fortunately, this time I got it right more or less first time. However, when I was doing the actual writing itself, which is very laborious, I got to the last section and my lap top lost all power. It goes without saying that I hadn’t saved it so there was a frustrating half an hour where I struggled to regain power and the suspense of wondering whether my work was still intact. I’m please to tell you it was, but clearly the stress was too much as I ended up eating everything I had cooked – both portions!!

Anyway, on to today’s project which is for this week’s Sunday Stampers challenge “friend”

I realise that this is in a similar vein to many of my other bee pieces, but it’s quite difficult to invent a recipe and a craft project on the same day! I hope this is different enough to retain your interest.

I made the background using a honeycomb embossing folder and some yellow card. Once embossed I inked it with Wild Honey and a smidge of Vintage Photo distress ink, then gave it a coat of crackle paint. Once dry, I stamped on the bees using black Archival. I stamped some matching bees onto beige card, cut them out and glued them over the originals, leaving the wings free. This way, you get all the spindly bits of the bee but don’t have to fuss around cutting them out. Perfect for lazy crafter me. I quite often colour the bees with yellow, but liked the sepia effect of these so left them alone.

I made a little tag out of card and stamped on the words using individual stamps.

I took a bunch of paper roses in yellows and orange and roughed them up a bit with some Vintage Photo distress ink. I also added a bit more vintage photo around the edge of the card. I arranged the roses with some brown punched branches. I used brown, instead of green, for an end of summer/start of autumn feel.

The final touch was a pretty yellow button.

So my sweet friends, this is for you. Thank you for taking the time to buzz by and particularly for taking the trouble to leave a comment. It’s always appreciated.

Night watchman

Posted on September 3, 2013 by MrsBeez

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It’s time to go small again as there is a new word to use as inspiration over at Every Inchie Monday. This week is night watchman. Here’s my take:

Using owls was the first thought that came to mind and it was a perfect excuse to use some delightful images from The Graphics Fairy before Halloween!

The two black owls were copied directly on to card, the others collaged to the background.

I used distress inks – Chipped Sapphire, Seedless Preserves and Broken China for the background, spritzing them with water for a mottled effect.

The moons were punched from cream card and applied to the background. The image below already came with its own moon. This is one of my favourite Graphics Fairy images.

The finishing touch was to add highlights using holographic silver glue pen.

I’m not the only person to have used owls on their inchies, do buzz over to Every Inchie Monday and take a look at what everyone else has been up to.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Last Days of Summer

Posted on September 2, 2013 by MrsBeez

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There’s a new challenge over at Crafty Boots and the theme for the fortnight is Last Days of Summer. Here’s my Design Team card P1050576 :I’ve used a lovely stamp from Chocolate Baroque and coloured it with Promarkers. I then created the background by blending in distress inks – Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick, Scattered Straw and Squeezed Lemonade. Once applied I gave them a spritz of water – this removes some of the ink giving a slightly mottled effect.

I’ve used layers of pink card and some paper from the Gecko Galz Butterfly Meadow collection. In one there’s an arrangement of punched branches and pink sweetheart blossoms.