Sunday 29 December 2013

Happy New Year

This week's SPA is hosted by the talented and wonderful Sandie. The theme is Anything Goes, mainly as it's a crazy time between Christmas and New Year.

At the beginning of this year, I challenged myself to make ALL my SPA postcards with Lisas Altered Art images.... did I manage it? Yes I'm so pleased to say yes I did. First time I've ever finished a challenge to myself lol

Here's my postcard for this week... featuring Lisas Altered Art images. (just because the challenge is over doesn't mean I won't be using them ~ I will, as I love the images)


Wishing you all a Happy New Year

TFL
Mandy x

Thursday 26 December 2013

Gotta Love....

an anything goes challenge during Christmas week! That's our theme on Tagalong this week. Hosted by the hugely stamptastic Sandie

Here's mine....

TFL
Back to work tomorrow :-S
Mandy x

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Merry Christmas

I'd like to wish all my followers, friends and passers-by a very happy holiday season. 

This weeks Tagalong is Retro Christmas and here is mine. I've used this cute little deer. 

TFL
Mandy x

Monday 23 December 2013

Sweet Little Dreamer

I've finished work til after Christmas so I'm hoping for a crafting spree ;-) Having a baking day today.

Here's my Tiny Angel postcard for SPA this week.

Thanks for looking
Mandy x

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Tiny Angel

Love these snow angel pictures and so I've used it for this week's Tagalong which is 'tiny angel'

Thanks for looking
Mandy x

Monday 16 December 2013

It's a Blue Christmas

it certainly will be for us here at Octopode Towers. Not sure what we will even be doing as Mum usually comes over and much of the day is based around her. Maybe I'll even stay in my pj's.

The theme over on Lunagirl this fortnight is BLUE CHRISTMAS. come over and join in! You are in with a chance to win $10 to spend online in their shop :-)

TFL
Mandy x

Snow is Falling....

well, not literally (not yet anyway)

Seems I've not blogged for ages! Life is getting in the way at the moment. I'm hoping life will be more on an even keel after Christmas.

Carol is hosting on SPA this week and the theme is Snowmen. Here's mine.... using LisasalteredArt images.

TFL
Mandy x

Sunday 8 December 2013

Seasons Greetings

This time on CraftyHands the theme is Seasons Greetings/winter theme

I chose to do Seasons Greetings for my sample for the challenge. I brought these images from Tumble Fish Studio last year and have never used them. I just love these Victorian Santas. They are so festive.

TFL
Mandy x


Thursday 5 December 2013

Frosty the Snowman

woo it's blowing a gale here today! Nearly got blown over whilst I was walking the dogs.

This week, Carol is joining us on Tagalong with the theme of FROSTY the SNOWMAN

Here's my entry

why not come over and join us on TAGALONG

TFL
Mandy x

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Using old Stash

I've been asked to join the Rhedd & Rosie challenge blog DT, and this is the first challenge I've made something as a DT for them. The prompt is USE OLD STASH. As we all know, us crafters usually have 'old' stash hanging around somewhere. For this challenge, old stash = a year or so old
I got my dates completely mixed up and I had a few hours to come up with something. Had a quick look through my hostess trolley full of bits n bobs, found a die cut tag and some christmas scrapbook paper. I don't usually use papers, but these are around as I'm using them up for my craft club at school. So I used that on the background of the tag, added some gold paper that I came across... I've had this for years and never even opened the package. Very pleased with myself with this make as it took me about 20 mins all in all
Head over to Rhedd & Rosie to join in. There's a sweet prize to win too
Mandy x

Saturday 30 November 2013

First Day of Advent

Yes, the first of December has descended upon us. Not only is it the first of December, it's the first Sunday of Advent.
I remember advent fondly from my childhood. Getting excited every week, another candle being lit on every Sunday before Christmas. I don't know what happened to our advent from my when I was young. I'd love to get a new one and carry on the tradition. I've never found one.

Here's my postcard for this week's theme on Sunday Postcard Art. Made with images from Lisas Altered Art.
Hope you get a chance to join us.
TFL
Mandy x

Thursday 28 November 2013

Hearts

This week theme on Tagalong was chosen by Deb and she wants us to be inspired by HEARTS. Here's mine

I really love this freebie image from Terri Kahrs on PringleHillStudios.

TFL
Mandy x

Sunday 24 November 2013

Gibson-esque Girls

When I thought up the themes for some postcards this year, I was so happy I'd thought of Gibson Girls. I love the imagery of them.
I've trawled through all of my Lisas images to find something very close to a Gibson Girl, so I could do my personal challenge.

Here's what I came up with.... I think they are very Gibson-esque


These are for sunday postcard art

TFL
mandy x

Friday 22 November 2013

Sparkle, Bling and lots of it

for this week's TAGALONG I've made this very sparkly tag for Carol's Ring a Ding Ding. lot of bling theme. I'm combining Tagalong with CraftyHands this week, As their theme is Sparkle & Bling


TFL
Mandy x

Saturday 16 November 2013

Renaissance

This week's Sunday Postcard Art is certainly a challenge.... whilst thinking up themes I clearly forgot that I'd challenged myself to use Lisas Altered Art images on ALL my postcards for SPA this year. However, even though the main images isn't a lisas image, the rest of the images are, so technically I HAVE used lisas on this postcard ;-) lol
TFL
Mandy x

Friday 15 November 2013

A little bit of vintage

Really pleased with this vintage card I've made
love a bit of shabby chic/vintage collage ;-)


This is a sample I've made for CraftyHands challenge of Vintage

vintage girl image is from Lunagirl

TFL
Mandy x

School Craft Club

A while ago, before the summer holidays, I was asked by the local junior school if I wanted to start an after school craft club. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity. I want to bring art journaling and freedom with crafting to children.
The first week, we did some 'practice' art journaling on postcards. I thought it was nice and simple to begin with. It was chaotic.... lots of paint and spraying going on ~ bearing in mind I only have an hour. A lot of soggy card! lol

Here's the samples I made to show the children.... if you want to see how I made the Dorothy and Wicked Witch postcards, head over to That's Crafty 
These are some of what the children made

This week we made some bookmarks ~ 
however I didn't get a chance to take photos of those so it's just my samples to show you

it'll be christmas crafts next week.

TFL
mandy x

Thursday 14 November 2013

What do you dream?

I dream of a restful day full of crafting, for the past two weeks this hasn't come to fruition :-( I seem to have little time to make artwork at the moment.

This week's TagAlong is hosted by Anne, and the theme is Fruit and Flowers. I've used some images from lisas altered art.


come over and join us. 
Mandy x

Saturday 9 November 2013

Vintage Sewing

This week, Carol is back with the theme of Vintage Sewing on Sunday Postcard Art. This is a cut and paste collaged postcard. I've used Lisas Altered Art images, stamps from Crafty Individuals and Oxford Impressions.


Why not come over and join us ~ sundaypostcardart.wordpress.com

TFL
Mandy x

Thursday 7 November 2013

Maps

This week's SPA is Maps and is hosted by Marion.

I'm so late entering this week due to monitor malfunctions! I was lost without my computer and super happy to have it back.
I've made two postcards, nautical inspired with a map
and for this travel one I've used weather map

TFL
Mandy x

Time to Remember

This week's theme on TagAlong is chosen by Donna and is about Remembrance..... not just Armistice Day but any sort of remembering.
This is my first tag of the week... I'm hoping to make something with an image of my mum later in the week.

TFL
Mandy x



Thursday 31 October 2013

Dia de la Muertos

Happy Hallowe'en Everyone!
This week on TagAlong we are celebrating Day of The Dead which is 31st October, 1st and 2nd November.  I'm really drawn to the colours and skeletons of this celebration. So much fun! Hope you think so too.

Here's my tag... I love to use quotes on my projects and so I googled Day of the Dead sayings, and this one popped up.... it means To hell with death while we're still alive.
 here's a close up

Thanks to Deb for hosting this week, with an amazing sample ~ head over to Tagalong to join in or just to swoon at Deb's creative genius!

TFL
Mandy x

Saturday 26 October 2013

Witches, Goblins and Spooks, oh My

This week's SPA is WITCHES BREW.... it's our last week of Hallowe'en on Sunday Postcard Art ~ tis a shame but we have lots of lovely themes coming up.

Jenn is hosting for us this week

thanks for looking
Mandy x

Frightful Follies

I've made this card for the WITCHERY theme on LunaGirl Moonbeams and also for a *new* challenge blog called CraftyHands Challenge ~ just started and this week's theme is ANYTHING GOES

TFL
Mandy x

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Mixing it up with a bit of .....

STeAmPunK . Over on Tagalong this week the theme is STEAMPUNK HALLOWE'EN

My dear friend Martina was due to host but has had builders in so hasn't had a chance to make a sample for us but she'll be back with another theme sometime soon!

Here's my entry which is acting as the sample too ;-)

 unfortunately, with the weather at the moment, photos are getting harder to take.
TFL
Mandy x

Sunday 20 October 2013

Christmas in October?

aaagghhhh...... Carol has challenged us to make postcards for Hallowe'en with a Christmas twist for Sunday Postcard Art.

Still keeping up my personal challenge of using Lisas Altered Art images for all my postcards this year. Here's mine.

TFL
Mandy x

Thursday 17 October 2013

Feeling Haunted

this lady certainly looks like she's feeling haunted. This week on TAGALONG is HAUNTED HOUSES and our host is Donna.
Come over and join us.

TFL
Mandy x

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Wicked Witches

This week for That's Crafty I've made a postcard using an Oxford Impressions stamp set 'wicked' When I saw the moon on this plate of stamps I just had to have it.

There's a few challenges that have a Hallowe'en theme this week
The crazy challenge

also entering this into the challenge on The Octopode Factory ~ witches

Thanks for looking
Mandy x

We're going on a Bear Hunt

I fondly remember reading that book to my girls when they were young.
Just lately, we've not had much of a chance to do anything together much but we did manage a walk up to Elvaston Castle. We mainly went to look at the old church and graveyard there. I'm so glad it's in walking distance of our house.
Along the way, we met these two beauties
 the babies were terrified of the horses
 on the rickety bridge 
(it's no longer rickety though)
 I ♥ tree roots
 Secret passage to the church
 creepy trees


it's a great place to visit if you are in Derbyshire ;-)

Mandy x




Sunday 13 October 2013

Shabby Chic in Rose

I was asked to be a GDT this month on A little Bit crafty ~ the theme is Shabby Chic.

I've made a couple of tags (!) 

I've been on the look out for some new challenges to enter, and so I'd also like to enter these two into the 'a creative romance' challenge of Pink and The Hobby House challenge of Roses


TFL
mandy x

Saturday 12 October 2013

Unlucky for some

but not for me. The theme on SPA this week is UNLUCKY 13 and is hosted by Hidden Vintage Studios amazeballs Tracey.

13 has always been a lucky number for me. Doesn't look like it has been for this trio of terrors. Poor girl on the end even ended up with paint on her head! lol


handmade background using sprays, paints, stamps, masks, etc, etc
images are from lisasaltered art.
word is a rub-on
and the gravestones are die cuts from TH

TFL
Mandy x

Thursday 10 October 2013

Hallowe'en Frippery

Here's a tag I've made for Rhedd & Rosie's challenge of  Shades of Autumn 

and also I'd like to enter this into the  One  stitch at a Time ~ use a digi. Now ... I'm having a hard time getting the 'digi' part of the theme.... is this classed as using a digi? It's an image that I've printed out. On this particular tag, I've printed the background text out too, as well as the lace and all the elements. 
All the elements, pictures, background are cut out individually and pasted ;-)

TFL
Mandy x