FLOWER GARDEN CHARM BRACELETS

Saturday evening I made 8 flowery charm bracelets, seem to be going thru a fad of making these bracelets with these specific beads. I have been buying some from an American e-bayer 'princess by design' as some of these beads I just can't find here in Italy.

I am making some more for 2 special people in America , can't say whom yet, but I know they often look at my blog. Just hope they like what they see here as it will be something similar.

Am also thinking of starting an etsy shop to sell some of my creations, up to now I've never had the courage as I've seen so many greyt things about that I've never felt up to standard. Me thinks now is the time to try if they sell, they sell if not I tried.

Here in Italy it's very hot, sticky and humid already, to think summer hasn't started yet !!!!!!!!!!! OMG.

off to cook lunch for the tribe
ciao ciao
crafty Joan

Flowery bracelet

Today has been very hot, so I went downstairs into my studio and decided to make a bracelet with some flower beads. I got carried away and in the end I made 4 bracelets. Here's one of them. These are the only flowers that survive in my house......I don't have green fingers !!!!
ciao crafty joan

AATC

This is an AATC , a what? an AATC = an altered artist trading card. I made this ATC a year back and I wasn't over the moon with it, something just wasn't right.
I received some rubber stamps last week from firecraker designs and decided to add some of their stamped images to the ATC and for me this time it worked out and I was happier with it.
The ATC background was done using a stamp ink pad on paper for acrylics, then doodled over and a vintage image added, then after one year altered .
ciao ciao
crafty joan

International ATC chain

Hi there,

I saw this on Evie's blog entry for 23rd April,2007. There's the first international ATC chain going on, all you have to do is make 6 ATCs of any theme and post them to the 6 persons on the list and mail them within a month. You then delete the person at the top of the list and add yours to the bottom, hopefully you will have international ATCs winging their way to you. If you are interested please contact me,

I made these ATCs using Cherry Pie rubber stamps coloured in with watercolurs and put onto a black cardstock background.

ciao ciao for now

crafty Joan

My chain ATCs will go out on Saturday.

FIRST CUPCAKE

Made my first CUPCAKE ever with a lemon frosting topping and have to admit wasn't bad for a first try, made 20 at lunch time and by early evening all were gone.................wasn't me who ate them all !!! Luckily I managed to get a photo before they all went, only prob whilst looking for the camera I left them outside under the sun and the frosting strarted to melt !!!!!.

I have fallen in love with the faux cupcakes and cakes and all those wonderful blogs and websites..........actually I'm falling in love with PINK , I'm beginning to THINK PINK and liking all that shabby chic. Don't know what's happening to me ...must be my hormones that are changing ..it's not just me that's becoming softer shape wise but also emotion wise too.

tata 4 now

crafty joan

tea party day continuation

Hi there,

Here I am all alone having my little tea party, I might be here in person by myself but throughout the morning I've been making some new friends in cyber space. Thanks ARTSYMAMA for a wonderful idea and initiative.

What a morning ...drawling over some wonderful blogs and websites, seeing such wonderful china and linen......well this was just too much, I decided to get out all my old china that I carefully wrapped up and put away, so that the kids wouldn't ruin them. I've decided that they are no longer to be hidden away and need to go back on display.....wasn't that the whole idea in the first place to be seen and used. So linens will be washed and old china washed , I've decided that I will display them in my old antique English display cabinet.........only one problem will now have to find a new place for my collection of dolls !!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Looking forward to continuing the day dropping in on other peoples tea parties.

International Tea Party Time

There's an International tea party going on which has been hosted by the hostess with the mostess http://artsymama.blogspot.com.

Here in Italy today it is miserable, damp and cold....greyt start to spring !!!!! Up until today the weather has been up in the 18- 19 degrees sunny and hot, short sleeve weather, everything has already flowered , seened so strange to see the end of February and beginning of March blooming with colour . Also first thing this morning I had the boiler man in to give the boiler its annual check-up, I suppose you could say it's been SPRING CLEANED !!! LOL.

I'm a tea drinking addict, I drink about 10 mugs, yes mugs not cups, of tea a day , whatever the weather may be. I drink my tea the traditional English way with milk and sugar and believe it or not I prefer to drink a nice hot cuppa at meal times .!!!!!!!!!!! horror of all horrors.....my hubby after nearly 30 years still can't come to terms with it. I call my cup of tea by different names...............a cuppa, a brew, a cup of char. In the Uk they have teabags in all different shapes, traditional sqare ones, round ones, pyramid shape ones, ones that you pull two strings so as to squeeze the life out of it !!!!!!!!!! I don't care as long as my tea bags come from the UK, as I don't care much for the weak tea they have here in Italy which is more adapted to drink with lemon and fruits. I have my tea bags sent out to me and now that my kids like a cuppa too it's costing me a fortune !!!!!!!!!!.

I like to make my tea by putting milk and sugar in the mug first and then adding the boiling hot water.....I know a lot of people say this isn't the correct way and that the milk should be added after the boiling water.........this is a debate that has been going on for years.......something like the egg and the chicken question...How to you make your cuppa? would love to know. Onw thing I do know is that the Italians really give me strange looks and give strange comments about drinking tea with milk !!!!!!!!!!! I'm English ( sorry British !!! ) what do they expect !!!! LOL.

Last night I made 3 charm bracelets ready for spring, they are made with lucite flowers and glass beads , they are so light to wear, have to say I'm pleased with them.

Hoping you all have a wonderful tea party ,

hugs

crafty joan in Italy

BLOGS WANTED for dolls and stitcheries

Isn't she just wonderful this doll with her lovely big head, she's a pattern by Missy Ballance of http://littlemissyprimitives.com. I made her about 2 years ago and have never wanted to give her away, I'm a hoarder by nature so most of my handmade gifts never get given to the would be receiver...........they get put on a shelf in my house !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going thru a 'I wanna make more raggedy, primitive, grungy dolls and stitcheries ' phase. So do any of you crafters / artists out there know of some good doll and stichery blogs I can look at, if so pls let me know

thanx

have a greyt day

crafty joan

Raggedy fairy

This is a raggedy fairy that I finished off today, poor thing has been a UFO ( unfinished object) for more than a year or two, no wonder she has that expression of surprise on her face !!!!! LOL.
Can't remember off the top of my head, but she's a variation of a plumtickled pattern I got some years back.
ciao ciao
crafty Joan

FUNKY JOURNAL SWAP

I'm taking part in a FUNKY JOURNAL swap based on the COLLAGE UNLEASHED book techniques by TRACI BAUTISTA. I'm having a greyt time doing it and am just trying to go with the flow. I hope the person who receives my journal will enjoy looking at it as much as I've enjoyed doing it.
I'm having some problems trying to find some materials here in Italy, either because I really can't fine them or don't know what the equivalent is in Italian. I've been fortunate that some artist friends have come to my help and sent me what I need. I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of them, it's very much appreciated.

Beaded Flower Bookmarker

Yesterday I decided to make a beaded flower bookmarker with some very colourful acrylic flower beads that I bought . Will have to practice a bit more attaching the flowers to the chain, just couldn't get the hang of wrapping the wire. I'm used to doing it Ok with ordinary round beads but with these flower shapes was a whole new kettle of fish for me.

Think I will try and make some charm bracelets as gifts as these acrylic beads are so light. I might even use them on a FUNKY JOURNAL swap that I'm participating in , might even call the journa Funky Flower Power !!!!! LOL.

have a greyt weekend

crafty joan

CHARM BRACELET CRAZE

I've fallen in love with some charm bracelets made by an e-bay seller in turkey. I just love the way she coordinates the colours with the delicate lucite flowers and beads and by using the lucite, resin and acrylic beads the bracelet is so light. Over the past year I'm starting to have a nice little collection, problem is when I buy them as gifts for others I'm so tempted to keep them for myself!!!!!!!!!!!!.

have a greyt weekend
crafty joan in italy

ATCs for a B.Berlin technique swap

These are some ATCs that I made for a swap based on using one or more of Bernie Berlin's techniques from her book.

Had great fun doing them, one is using the metal foil tech, telephone book page tech, and inky layers tech. Vintage collage images are from Artchix studio.

I've decided to take part in another swap where I will have to make 60........so I had better go and start.

ciao ciao

crafty joan

Breast Friend project for JoAnna ( Mosshill)

Hi there,
Well JoAnna Pierotti my American art friend, had her first chemo session the other day but also had a special surprise. In November Lelainia put a call out on her blog http://tatterededge.blogspot.com calling for artist to make some art for JoAnna so as to make a chunky book and a charm bracelet, well here are the finished items on Lelainia's flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/19674523@N00/sets/72157594521084917/show/, this is the slideshow version.
Was a real pleasure to be part of this along with all the other artists and a big thank you to Lelainia for putting the chunky book and bracelet together.
You can also read about it on Joanna's blog toohttp://mosshill.blogs.com
have a greyt weekend
crafty joan

ATC guilty or not guilty?

ATC guiltyor not guilty?
Originally uploaded by craftinitalia.

New ATC , another tech from Bernie Berlin's book . Here I used vintage papers, coloured once dry with ink , embossed stamped image and used a vintage postcard image.
ciao
crafty

ATC background techniques

These are some background techniques I've been playing around with since having Bernie Berlin and Traci Bautista's books . For all the samples I've used paper for watercolours and acrylics.
With the top 2 what I've basically done is transfered the excess alcohol ink colours on some metal foil tape by putting the paper on top of the tape and passing over with a brayer. Then on another piece of metal foil tape I've dabbed off the excess alcohol ink with baby wipes and the dabbed randomly over the paper .
On the bottom 2 I've just transferred excess alcohol ink onto a baby wipe and dabbed over paper randomly, the bottom right one I used a clear embossing ink pad and inked randomly over paper and then used gold embossing powder that I then heated with a heat gun.
I'ts like being back at school again...................the best background image is me !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ....what with all the excess colours and materials on my hands.
ciao ciao joan

NEW CRAFTY YEAR

A Happy Crafty New Year to everyone.

Here's an ATC I did using the metal foil technique explained in Bernie Berlin's new book, 'ARTIST TRADING CARD WORKSHOP'. This book is a must for all ATC enthusiasts and 2 b ATC enthusiasts, it's pleasing to the eye and the techniques are explained in clear simple English. I also used a vintage image that I coloured in using colours for black and white photographs, the flowers are what my friend uses for doing her scrapbooking.

Talking about scrapbooking , I was trying to find some Italian scrapbooking blogs but I just seemed to find the same old ones over and over again on all the blogs, with the same old LO's and ideas from the USA. Is it that there are far and few between scrappers here in italy ???? !!!!!!!! or that they want a monopoly and have the glory for themselves and not let others into their lucrative club ????!!!!!!!!!

Off to play with some more techniques from Bernie's book.
ciao ciao
crafty Joan

HELP NEEDED

Hi there,
I need your help here. I bought this kit
a year or two back and can't remember the
name of the website, all I remember is there
is the name ' card ' in the title and the kind
lady's name is Robin.
If any one could help it would be most
appreciated, as I would like to buy some
more to make as gifts for next year.
thanx
crafty

ART FOR A BRAVE AMERICAN ARTIST

This art is for an American art friend, JoAnna, http://mosshill.blogs.com who is facing a very difficult moment in her life right now and who will have a strong battle to fight health wise.
Lelainia of http://tatterededge.blogspot.com put out a request to artists via her blog asking them to create a piece of artwork to make into a book and to create a charm for JoAnna .

Above is the collage I made for the artboo, the L shape stands for Liberty the butterflies represent freedom and the flowers the sweet smell of life.

This is a little prayer ATC for her, I don't know where or when I came up with these words for the prayer, but I think it is sweet and meaningful.

This is a charm I made based on the collage and prayer ATC above, the butterfly represents freedom , the feathers the wings of an angel and the little Madonna prayer cameo with crystals for clarity and faith.

Hope she will like these, and I pray dearly hope that the coming months will be won over.


thanx to Lelainia of tatteredge for letting me participate
crafty

CABINET CARD SWAP RECEIVED

Today I received my Cabinet Cards from the swap I participated in. Here they are in all their glory..........arent' the just wonderful, I'm over the moon with them. Believe me the scanned photos don't do them justice, to have in ones hands and feel the textures is another thing, I would like to thank the artists AUDREY HERNANDEZ, MARILYN J ROCK and CAROL MYRICK. Also a big THANK YOU to Christine Shebroe for being a great hostess.
Have a great day
crafty joan

Pocket Cover Book no.2

Here is my second effort of my pocket book cover, must say I'm more than happy with this effort. Had a whale of a time doing the FMS ( free motion embroidery) that I got carried away and didn't want to stop. This time I used greenhouse fleece instead of the nappy liners................prefer the effect of the ironed nappy liners.
Now I have to embellish with cords and beads.


ciao
crafty joan

FREE ART

I saw this on http://alis-clair.blogspot.com, and decided I would like to take part. so the first five people to respond to this via the comments will receive a piece of original artwork made by me in person. Great I hear you all saying but THE CATCH ?
The catch is that you too have to post this to your blog too so that way we can continue sharing the art.
have a gr8 weekend
crafty joan

Pocket Cover Book

I decided to do an on-line course with Janet Clark on the joggles website. This is my first attempt at FME ( free machine embroidery) and colouring and melting nappy liners. I am waiting for my supplies to come through as here in Italy.............fashion centre of the world .....you wouldn't believe it I can't find 90% of the material I need to do the course. Shame it's not the craft and hobbies centre of the world then I wouldn't have as many problems finding materials to do my arts and crafts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK couldn't wait to get started so I decided to try and find some of the materials.................have spent an afternoon trampsing around and finally found a place that had some chiffon and organza.....................great. Once home started on my quest to half complete the first lesson..........
you can see the result above.............for starters I'm not happy about my FME and definately not happy about the melted nappy liners........................I think I melted them to much. I then put my one layer of black chiffon on top but it was too dark and you couldn't see a thing, so I've scanned the image without it. I do like the colours tho...........my favourite.
Now to see what the teacher will say about it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ciao crafty joan

Altered Cabinet Card No.3

Here is my final Altered Cabinet Card., I wanted this one to be a fun one.
I'm sure there's a sexy siren hidden deep within all of us just screaming to get out !!!!!!!!!!! LOL.

I immagine her to be real victorian having to live by the prim and proper victorian values of the day, but one she was in her own house behind closed doors ...........................

Look forward to seeing all the Altered Cabinet Cards now the swap is closed.

Was definately a fun swap................ thanx Christine

ciao ciao
crafty
joan

Altered Cabinet Card No.2

This is my 2nd altered cabinet card for a swap that I'm taking part in, hosted by Christine for Art-e-zine. I'm having a whale of a time doing them . It's great trying to immagine about the unknown person in the photo in front of you, were they married, were they kind, many children, rich , poor etc.

You may be wondering why most people didn't smile in the 1800's when having photos done.............. mainly because the majority of them were missing TEETH !!! not many dentists about in those days and most people couldn'f afford them, also some people were also a little scared of what was about to happen.

You will be able to see all the cards once the swap is closed on Gillian allen's web site http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk, here you can also see other swaps that are open at the moment http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/artexchange.html

Altered Cabinet Card Swap

This is one of my 3 altered cabinet cards for a swap that I'm participating in. This is my first time at altering these cards and I've enjoyed every minute of it, can't wait to do another
ciao
crafty
Joan

STC

STC

In one of my previous posts I said that Italian scrappers were discovering the world of ATCs. I've noticed that the ATCs they
create are made in the scrapbooking style that they are accustomed to using when making their LOS, therefore in my own personal opinion, my personal point of view I don't really consider these 100% ATCs. Please note I said IN MY PERSONAL OPINION before I have everyone jumping on my back and biting my head off !!!!!!!!!!

Therefore I've decided to nominate these type of cards :-

S T C = Scrappers Trading Cards

As you can see in my example above, the card has been created using K & Co scrap paper, fibres, buttons and a vintage image on the tag. Instead of the vintage image you could use your own photo, family, friends, pets etc. and include it in one of your LOs.

Now all I have to do is initiate a STC SWAP, think I will use a theme maybe a colour or a festive holiday..................or maybe you have some good ideas of your own. If so please let me know ...................would love to see your STCs.

have a great day
crafty Joan

ANGEL COLLAGE

This is my new 4" X 4" art-squared collage. I hope the person / people who receive this will like it.

Today's blog is short and sweet

ciao crafty Joan

ATC TAG

ATC + TAG









ATCs are now being discovered here in Italy by people that mainly participate in Italian scrapbooking groups who surf the American scrapbooking sites, you could say soon it could be ATC FEVER !!!!! Most ATCs that they are making seems to be in the scrapbooking style.
Here is an ATC that I made last year , it's an ATC made from K & Co scrapbooking paper, vintage buttons and then sewn around the borders then some fibers and a pocket added on top. I then made a mini tag, using a vintage transparency immage and added a bow. Should be to the Italian scrappers taste as this is mainly a scrapbooking ATC to be used on a LO.
I much prefer to make ATCs using the collage, painting, stamping, fabric techniques. I have just started another blog .....actually I started it much earlier this year but ol' dummy here forgot username and password, as the recovery page of blogger wasn't working I clean forgot about it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a wally !!!!!!!!
The blog is http://atcmondo.blogspot.com
bye bye for now
joan

MA..LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO ME !!!

Today I found some old black and whilte photos , but who they are of and when they were taken I haven't the faintest idea. Therefore I decided to do a technique that is described in the book ' THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALTERED IMAGERY' by KAREN MICHEL . I couldn't find any screwdrivers or awls so I used my dollmaking sewing needle which is very pointed and sharp, must say the incisions came out Ok. I then coloured in with watercolor paints. Had a great time doing it that I continued the whole afternoon altering old photo . I'm thinking of starting a scrapbook titled ' WHO AM I ? ', at least it will be a scrapbook with just a little difference.

Tomorrow I will do some collages and transfer images with what the photos I altered today. Oh it's so great to be back creating after a long hot sticky summer..............mind you it's still 30° here.
Can't wait for autum to arrive ........something in the air changes...the smells, the colours..............just luv it.

ciao ciao
crafty joan

SUNFLOWERS

Sunflowers...................mmm..............wish there were RAINFLOWERS and that some rain would come our way...............I've been doing my raindance but to no avail...........just 10 mins of a little shower today. I suppose I should really look on the bright side and keep thinking another month and the cooler weather will be on it's way.

The Italians are like sunflowers .......... they live for the sun. They complain for 7 months of the year that it's grey, cloudy, cold, wet and miserable but then when summer arrives and it's too hot, what to they do? they start complaining again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I'm from London, so like most countries in northern europe, we are used to the grey, cloudy, cold, wet miserable weather, and just try to get on with life the best we can, and for me I find it easier to cope with than the heat and humidity that everytime you move the sweat just drips off you. But then again in summer you have the sun and the sea. It's easy to spot northern europeans in summer.................we're all burnt red raw like lobsters !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As the song says ' ONLY MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN GO OUT IN THE MIDDAY SUN '. Looking at it ...I suppose I'm better off than my Italian counterparts..................I'm Ok for 9 months of the year........just the 3 months of summer I'm not too keen on.

Above is a page for scrapbooking I did myself a couple of years back using DONNA DEWBERRY's technique of ONESTROKE PAINTING, I suppose I could also say it's in FREESTLYE scrapbooking style , which has now become very popular . Isn't freestyle scrapbooking what we used to do years ago when there wasn't all the scrapbooking pèapers to choose from.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is FREESTYLE scrapbooking? would love to know your description of it.

ciao ciao
crafty

FORGOTTEN

It's way too hot to do any creative work , my hands are too sweaty and everything just keeps slipping out of them. So I decided to do some clearing up where I do my creative work, I'm not the most organized of people when it comes to my creative work area , therefore I came across a lot of old work that I did a couple of years back.

I found a lot of work I did while I was going through my scrapbooking phase, some pages that are now probably classed as FREESTYLE, COFFEE FILTER ALBUMS, PAPER BAG ALBUMS, CD ALBUMS , MINI BOOKS made from tags, envelopes and photo slides and much more. After that I was mainly into making raggedy and primitive dolls, quilts and doing stitcheries. Above is a stitchery pattern of my own design ( copyrighted) that I did for my sister in Australia, she's had it framed and put in her daughter's bedroom.

It's been such a joy pulling out these old creative works, maybe I just might start doing stitcheries again especially when the long winter evenings arrive.
ciao ciao for now
crafty
joan

WATERFALL

Life is like a waterfall, you drift along like a stream then things quicken up and you become a river getting wider and wider, then a rapid until finally you find yourself on the edge and over you go crashing like a waterfall. Well that's my opinion anyway.

I feel like this especially when I try to help people out in person 1 2 1, telephone, letters or today via e-mails. I don't mind helping people ...listening to their problems, giving advice where needed. Many people tell me that I should be harder as a person in this dog eat dog world, but that's just not me, I'm too weak in character.

The thing that bothers me is when you are taken advantage of, you give someone an idea/s, they use it/them and make a profit from it ....but if you need help they're not so quick to return the favour !!!!! You write to people complimenting them for their good work, asking how life is etc...but they just don't do the same to you , make out they never recieved the letter or e-mails. I know it can happen that things go astray but more than once !!!!!!.

That's why I say life is like a waterfall, I bottle up my feelings and anger until they slowly spurt out, I suppose I should say like a volcano, but I prefer waterfall as I'm a water birth sign and an ex swimmer. My problem is that once I've stopped being a waterfall I become a stream again and the whole process repeats itself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I'll never learn. Why oh Why can't I be just that little bit more stronger and sometimes just say ' NO ' .

Luckily I have meet many good people via the internet and now with blogs..........now that is a completey different topic...............seems like a competition of who can get more comments than the others !!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL .... well here where I am anyway!!

Photo above is an ATC that I made trying out the technique of incision on plaster. To make the ATC a little more flexible so it wouldn't crack if bent, I adjusted the quantity of mixture .............no I'm not telling ,....that's my sercret !!!!!!!!

from a little feeling sorry for ones self
craft

Ps if reading this and you think I may be aiming the above at you, please ask me and I will tell you ...yes or no...
See I'm getting stronger !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Those summer nights

Those summer nights
Originally uploaded by craftinitalia.

An ATC made using the techniques for backgrounds and transfers from TRY IT TUESDAY.

MY FIRST QUILTIE

Hi there,
Trust everyone is well. I'm glad the World Cup is over with.........I'm not a fan of football, I'm more for rugby, I'm fed up to the teeth with football, football, football on the television, even my progs had been taken off !!!!!!!.
As Italy has won the World Cup ( congratulations to them ) all I hear is talk of football, football, football.........................maybe I'm the odd-ball out here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
ah well enough football talk.............................

I've decided to try an online course with LENNA ANDREWS via the JOGGLES website, learning to work with fibers and make quilties which hopefully will turn out to be a nice little book and present for someone. This is the first time I've tried anything like this on such a small scale in fabric, I'm used to making collages and ATCs but this is completely different ...................and such fun too. I would never have dreamed of marrying paper and fabric together or using glue instead of sewing ...

Here are the pictures of my first quiltie that I made today it measures 5" X 5", maybe it has take on a HOT colour scheme as here in Italy it's very hot and sticky.