MIXED MEDIA BOOKCOVER

Hi Crafters,

Today i bring you my first mixed media book/album cover.......I couldn't sleep and this was the result, not bad i don't think, i'm quite excited at how it came out, you might not agree, and don't like it, but i love it and it's gonna look even better bound and with text on it, just you wait and see.......I am going to do one of my tutorial videos, everyone seems to be enjoying them at the moment, and as long as i am inspiring just one person at the very least, i will continue to do the videos, this one will be to show you how to make one of these from scratch, only if you're interested that is, if not? don't tune into this video and wait for the next one but as a taster i will tell you what things i made this with.........the leopard print is one of my silky blouses i've started cutting up to make my flowers, oh and speaking of flowers, i am going to do a video this week for a very special little girl called 'Libby' and her Nanna, Sue Bradshaw, as i am aware that this lil angel watches my videos with her nan and then tries to make what i've done on my video, she couldn't stop making lacy flowers after watching my video and the other flowers and now will be hooked on the flowers i show her this week, look out for it Libby sweetheart!!!........anyway, i have also added, a cut out piece from a lace blouse, some white scrunched up tissue paper, some flat flowers,(the ones i use in one of my videos to make carnations and water lilies) fantasy film, mica flakes, PVA glue and alcohol inks, i may even add some UTEE before i bind-it-all to make a book, so watch this space as i will post here as soon as i have made the video to show you how, so its goodbye from me for now, hope you like the pics, Hugs everyone, Vick xxxx

WOODEN HEART

Hi There,
I thought i would have a play with a wooden heart and paint it, glaze it, throw everything, bar, the kitchen sink at it, to see what kind of effects i can make with different mediums, i love mixed media and altered art so i thought i would see what i could get from a few sequins and films/fibres. I started with the 5inch heart, painted it, then added fantasy film and fibres in 2 different colours, silver mesh, mother of pearl sequins, and some Beadazzles in 'Disco'. I will be hanging this in my craft room from some ribbon, but i will also be making more, in oblongs and squares, and by not adding too much 3dimension to them, i will take them through my Bind It All and make some funky looking book covers so watch this space!!! Bye for now guys, Vick xx

Under Scrutiny, Review No1 - Prisma Premiers -v- Derwent Coloursofts & TOP TIP

Hi Guys,

I have decided to do reviews on products i use and sometimes i will put them up against one another, but i will always tell the truth and not mislead you into buying something you don't need, and because i don't sell anything,  i have nothing to lose, therefore i am totally loyal to my blog followers & visitors alike as you all know me, i say it like it is........

Today i thought i would try for the first time how to use my Prisma pencils. Back in January, i sent my long suffering hubby to get me some Derwent 'Coloursoft' which blend and work in the same way Prisma Premiers do, now i know its hard to get hold of Prismas, which is why i chose Derwent 'coloursofts' over them, and not every craft shop sells them, infact i could only find one and they are in sets, http://craftsulove.co.uk  However, i wanted to buy a pencil of my choice not what is in a set, anyway, i found http://www.1buy1pencils.co.uk where you can buy each pencil for £1 and make them all your choice, so in Feb, i bought 30 pencils, so now i have 54 blendable pencils and after using them just now as a tester, cause as you know this is my first time, i can honestly same the Prismas are a little softer and blend beautifully and much easier than the 'Coloursofts', thing is they are dearer than Prismas too, hubby paid £29.99 for 24 'Coloursofts' and i paid £30 for 30 Prismas, so Prismas are your best bet..........now for my top tip...... To utilise your pencils and blend with them, you will need some form of mineral spirits, some people use oils, which are all well and good but stay within your paper or card and can leave stains, where mineral spirits will evaporate as you are blending. As an artist i have oil paints that i use and i use an odourless thinners, which in effect is what i needed, so instead of using it in a big gallon bottle, i decanted some into an old 'cockles' jar, but i only filled it halfway, then i added an old sponge that i cut to the correct size to sit at the top of the jar within (use the jar upside down on your sponge as a template, before you fill it, then cut out sponge) then pour a little more of the spirits in to soak the sponge and voila!!! you only have to dab your paper stumps onto the wet sponge, that stays wet!! and you are never soaking your paper stumps which will shorten its useage i would have thought, anyway, here's some pics of what i mean, thanks Vick x

DEDICATED TO MY BROTHER, BILLY

Hi Guys,

I am sorry i haven't been around my blog much in recent days, but i had some bad news that my big brother, was on life support, and in a coma, in Bath, Somerset so obviously i was down there waiting for news sitting in a family room with my hubby John, mum and younger brother, and trying to sleep but couldnt, for two days. Unfortunately my brother had advanced lung disease and lost his fight to live, we lost him on Sunday 6th May at 3.17am he was 50 years old.......as you can imagine we are all distraught, and i couldn't think of anything other than this and even crafting couldn't help me, but the last day or two i have been finding that doing things to do with craft has eased my tears and controlled my mind so im not mourning constantly, and making myself ill, i know my brother wouldn't want that anyway.  So hopefully i will be around more on my blog and especially after the funeral, although we have no date for that yet!
So this post is really, dedicated to my brother Bill and to tell him i love him dearly, but i'm guessing he already knows that. The only good things to come out of all this sadness is he was on the donor list and has saved lives with his kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart valves.......so to me, he is now a hero! R.I.P x