Altered Frame!

Tracey very kindly gave me this frame to play with! So I changed it from this to .............

this .......

There was a little mirror in the middle, I was going to re-size the photo to fit in there, but looking at it I thought there would be way too much space to fill, so I printed my photo 6 x 4 and backed on to some card (I used the back of those little 6 x 6 paper packs which gave it a nice strong backing), distressed the edges and inked.

I gessoed (is that a word?) the frame and then added some crackle paint, I wanted a soft feel to the frame, so I only put a lot of paint onto some parts. (You can see some of the crackle in the photos below).

The rest of the frame, is completed the same as a layout, rolled edges, torn edges, inked edges, etc. All stuck down with double sided tape.

I have used the cabbage rose technique that Tracey so kindly did a tutorial on, which can be found here.
I used some of the beading, a button, crystal, chain and charm to finish it off.

I have made this swirl corner myself. I found a pic of Prima's corners, got out my crystals and stuck them down on acetate. Not bad, huh?

I so love Prima's flowers. The minute I saw this one, I knew exactly which photo I was going to use. I have dotted a lot of charms around the vine and threaded some bead string.

Shopping list

Paper - Tracey's July Kit - Bo Bunny - A gift of Love
Pearl Clusters - Mark Richards
Crystals - Mark Richards
Flowers - Prima - Petite Fleur Vines
Inks - Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Worn Lipstick, Milled Lavender and Peeled Paint
Gesso - Jo Sonja's Background Colour
Crackle Paint - Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint - Milled Lavender
Button, charms, chain, rose bud ribbon - all these and including the above bought at Running With Scissors

String Beads - Boyles
Butterfly - Hair accessory

TFL
Helena
xxxx

What a sad, sad day for me and a whole lot of other people ....

Michael Jackson has died at the age of only 50. MJ was such a huge part of my growing up. After all he did nearly spend 45 years in the music business. I don't think there is a person alive today who doesn't know who MJ is, either love him or hate him. I was able to go his Bad concert in Cork, Ireland and then his Dangerous concert in Dublin. I LOVED his music, his energy, his imagination, etc For most of my teens and early twenties I was defending him against family and friends who called him a freak, I used to get really wound up .....

I used to have my bedroom wall covered with his posters, I had 4 scrapbooks (the old children's ones) full of his pictures, wrote his song words in there, decorated the edges with the usual teenage doodles. I have headbands, tee-shirts, badges, Cd's, books etc

I heard it last night on a news channel and I am still waiting to hear that it was just a horrible, horrible rumour some mean spirited person put about. I am in deep, deep shock.

I feel for his family and his young family!!!

RIP MJ you will never be forgotten ........

Roses, pretty roses

Just a few photos of my beautiful roses, did I mention I LOVE roses!!!!

This beautiful bush was in the garden when we moved in, the flowers are so delicate the feel like paper! When the sun shines the flowers open up, but when the sun goes in the flowers close up!!!

Not sure what this is, got it one day when we were on a family outing to a park!

TFL
xxxx

Flower Photos .......

Just messing around with some of my house flowers that I haven't manage to kill ......... YET!

TFL
xxxx

Live Laugh Love

I created this just because I wanted to, lol!

Used Tracey's June Kit again, and I still have loads left! The cabbage rose is from a tutorial that Tracey did a few months back, go here to see the tutorial!

I put some flower soft around the broader of the page, and now I am not too sure!!!!

I love the Basic Grey Rub Ons, just look at those cute little ladybirds and I used the whole lot, lol!

A close up of the title tag and the ladybirds.

This monogram was from the Cosmic Cricket QVC set!

Shopping List

Tracey's June Kit
Bo Bunny - Love Shack Groovin
Lace
Prima - Large Pink Flower
Petaloo - Pink Flower
Turquoise pearls
Cardstock - Bazzill Green

Others
Basic Grey - Division b2 rub-ons (subscription gift)
Monogram A and title tag - Cosmic Cricket QVC Kit
Silver brads - I have had for ages
Pearl brad - Papermaina - bought in Ireland
Flower Soft - Hobby House


TFL
Helena
xxxx

Aimee's card .....

Chloe wasn't happy with hers and asked me not to post it on my blog, so I won't. Here's Aimee's ....

Aimee saw the card I was making and wanted a photo of herself and Steve on the front of hers! Aimee loves sticking things on photos, (see the very cute tie Steve is wearing) and I have to stop my self from saying NOOOOO!!!! lol

Aimee also wrote a little verse in the inside ....

You make the music in my heart .... ahhhhh!!! Watching too much High School Musical, me thinks, lol!!!

Steve got money from us as I couldn't get out to get anything for him, (see previous post for my story of woe!), his choice for tea, the very unoriginal pair of slippers, 4 chocolate cupcakes with a football theme and a black forest gateau cake!

And here is my card!

This is actually one of our wedding shots! Slushy, mushy verse inside that I won't share in case you are physically ill.

TFL
Helena
xxxx

Father's Day ...

WARNING A LONG TALE OF WOE .......

What a horrible 3 weeks I have had ..... my college course is coming to an end, so trying to get all the last minute assignments and work handed in .... then to top that on my teacher training day on the first of June, I went and sprained my knee (found out on Thursday this is what I have done, d'oh). I was opening a deadbolt on the bottom of a door, and when I went to stand up I twisted my knee, hear it pop!!!! Me being me struggled on through out the day and the rest of the week too!!! Then on the Saturday, I stood up wrong and twisted it again, now that one really hurt, by Sunday morning both my knee and my ankle swelled up!!! Went to the doctors and she gave me some inflammatories and the sexist support tights you have ever seen .... NOT .... it went from the top of my thigh to my toes!!!! Anyways since I had a college observation I went back on Wednesday instead of staying off and resting it, (when will I ever learn). So I struggled on for the rest of the week. Then on Monday while at school, the pain was really intense so I went to the business manager/HR (yeah I wrote that correctly, all schools have these) and told her that I wanted to self certify for the rest of the week. So I have been at home with my feet up .... going absolutely banana's .... as I couldn't find a comfortable position to do any crafting, read my latest book in the first day tried to watch tv, but my oh my day time tv is bad ... wasn't interested in the movies they were playing! Anyways, went back to the doctors on Thursday as I couldn't bend my knee without being in extreme pain couldn't drive, as I did that on Monday and I was so close to crying in pain, so I took the bus. The doctor examined my knee and said I had a severe knee sprain, which footballers, gymnastics, tennis players, etc get a lot due to the twisting and turning they do on their feet! He signed me off for another week, with the warning to take it easy, especially when I go back to work!

So that leads my to today, where at last I can sit and do some crafting, yeah, yeah, yeah!!!!

Love you so

I have made this layout for Steve for Father's day!!!
I love this photo of the three of them!

The page is made up mainly from Tracey's Kit from her shop!

I cut around the swirls and inked the edges with distress ink along with the edge of the paper.

The journaling tag is from a kit that I have had for ages! It was a Cosmic Cricket kit both from QVC! I cut the white border from the tag, and inked it up with distress ink! Then wiped it off again with a baby wipe as it was very dark! I then added a few tares and pearls. I did the same with the titles!

I was going to dye the white lace, but when I put it on, it looked good so I left it alone!

Did you see the cute little owl???? hehehe and also the little fairy????? These aren't meant to stand out at all!!!

And a close up of the charms

Shopping List

Running with Scissors - June Kit
Paper - Bo Bunny - Love Shack Funky
Lace
Turquoise Self-adhesive pearls

Extras

Title Strips and journaling tag - Cosmic Cricket QVC kit
Spacers and double heart charm - Hobbyhouse
Flowers - Prima - Running with Scissors
Brads - Woodware - Running with Scissors
Made with love and single heart charm - Running with Scissors
Pink pearls - Mark Richards - Running with Scissors
Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy


Thats it!!!

Will be back later to show you what the girls made!!

TFL
Helena
xxxx

Some stunning candy .....

The wonderful Bev has this "little bit" of candy up for grabs ....


The wonderful crochet flowers are made by Bev's own hands, I would love to win those by themselves, don't get me wrong the rest of the candy is amazing too, all those flowers, beautiful flourish stamps, brads and glitters, WOW some "little bit" of candy!!!!

Go to All the things I love to be in with a chance to win!

xxxx