A bit different, and blog candy!

Just managing to scrape in again for this week's Tuesday Taggers, where the challenge is to use a jigsaw piece in your artwork. I puzzled over it for some time, and then decided for a change to make some earrings. Long time ago, before I started cardmaking (ie. about 20 years ago!!), I was into jewellery making, but haven't done any for ages, so this project has definitely used old stash! The two pieces I used to make the earrings are from a real old jigsaw which was destined never to be made up again as it had many pieces missing. I've no idea what the picture was, as the remaining pieces were given to me in a plastic bag, but I'd guess it was an old countryside scene. The colours were quite dark, so first of all I painted them with a white Ranger Acrylic Dabber. Next I coloured them with Brilliance inks and overstamped with my current favourite Hero Arts flourish stamp. The backs and edges were covered with a black Promarker. I gave them a top coat of clear embossing to protect them before making them up into earrings.

They are displayed on an ATC stamped with the same Hero Arts flourish. The words are by Inkadinkado and Papermania, and the tiny butterfly is also by Inkadinkado. The butterfly jigsaw piece was made with a clear peel-off sticker over an image from the latest Crafty Individuals Miniatures book: "Nature's Beauty".

I didn't have a recipient in mind when I made them, so I have decided to give them away as Blog Candy. (I hardly ever wear earrings!) If you'd like to win them, please leave me a comment, (or even better, become a follower if you are not already, though that is optional!) before next Monday, Feb 8th. Mr. Random.org will choose the winner. Please note, if the winner does not have pierced ears, I can change the fittings to suit.

Now I'm off on Brenda's blog hop (see my previous post for details).

Altered photo frame, and a Light Tip!

My altered photo frame is finished! This is what it looked like originally. I gave the frame and base a couple of coats of gesso, and then sponged the base with Ranger Acrylic Dabbers. I picked up some of the paint on a fine paint brush and dotted it on to give the effect of flowers.Next I stamped the frame with various Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus, and dotted a few flowers on there too. The butterflies and toadstools (also Elusive Images) were made with shrink plastic & coloured with Promarkers. The photo frame, which is about 5" tall, came from Hobbycraft.

Now it looks like this!

The photo, by the way, is of the Black Water of Dee where it flows through part of the Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway. That particular spot is known as the Otter Pool. We visited there a few years ago, and it's a most beautiful place. Do click on the picture to see the larger version.

During these dark and gloomy winter days, I've seen various people lamenting that they cannot get a good photo of their projects because of the lack of light. Here's a tip which might help. I use an energy saving high power (20w) daylight craft bulb in my desk lamp. It's made by the Daylight Company and is available directly from them or from Hobbycraft. It comes in bayonet or screw fitting, and although it's quite expensive (around £10) it's definitely worth every penny. It does have extra long life (claimed to last up to 8 times longer than a normal bulb - I can't verify that because I'm still on my first one, but I've had it quite a long time!) so really it's reasonably economical, and of course, environmentally friendly.

It gives a bright, white light close to normal daylight, so apart from the fact that it makes photography much easier, it's also a far better light for working under, meaning that your colours look natural and reducing eye strain. I might add that I have no connection with the Daylight Company whatsoever, but I do highly recommend these bulbs. I hope this information will be helpful.