Forever in pursuit of

the unpredictable let me introduce you to my 

HALLOWE'EN RABBIT!

OK so I can hear you thinking "aren't rabbits usually associated with Easter?" 

Well of course they are, but then that's the whole point of using one for Hallowe'en......you don't expect it:)

 He started life as a quite ordinary looking white fabric rabbit that EFFIE sent to me ages and ages ago........I painted him black then added old book pages to the body. Next he was painted to give him a jacket....I had to resist painting him stripy trousers so he had a spotty jacket instead!

 He has a spooky spider skull necklace........

 and wings.....why not???? (they are from Stampotique)

 He is fastened to a decorated old book cover

I am entering this piece into the current 

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS CHALLENGE

......the theme is "funny Hallowe'en"......

what could be funnier than a Hallowe'en Rabbit???

Smile

go on, you know you want to!!!!

I just love this picture......the pure silliness of it! 

Just had to use it in my journal!

 I bought a Memory Box die at the weekend, it's called Chloe Stem.....I don't use many dies but I liked this one......cut several out, used one as a mask to make the background and glued others in place.

I hope this made you.......

 

  I'm entering this for the THREE MUSES challenge.....

something wicked this way comes!

Autumn angel

 I bought this angel stamp this weekend while I was down at 

THE STAMP ATTIC.......it's a Christmas angel from STAMPOTIQUE 

 but I used it differently!

 The STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS CHALLENGE this week was to use stamps to make a background......I used one of my fav stamps.....heads.....stamped with gesso to give a slightly raised effect and then stamped the cobweb stamp with black ink.

 I replaced the heart that the angel is holding with a pumpkin.....and added a stick at the bottom!

Gesso carving

I did a workshop with ANDY SKINNER on Saturday at

THE STAMP ATTIC....it was called GESSO CARVING......and this is the result, it's on the cover of a journal

 If you get chance to take a workshop from Andy you should as he is a good teacher with lots of great techniques to pass along.

Corn dollies, St James and St Pauls

On Friday I was out and about in the Cheshire countryside visiting a couple of interesting local churches.

 The first was All Saints church in Siddington

 Autumn colour was in full swing in the churchyard

 The entrance was decorated with flowers

 and inside is the most amazing display of corn dollies

 They are made by local man Raymond Rush (who is in his 90s) and decorate the church every October.

 I love the corn dolly tradition......when the field was cut the Spirit of Fertility would retreat into the last standing ears. These would then be used to make the corn dolly and the Spirit would take refuge inside. The dolly would then be kept safe and dry over Winter until the following Spring when it would be taken back into the fields and broken open to release the Spirit into the newly sown grain to teach it how to grow!

 Next stop was just down the road at St James and St Pauls in Marton. 

This church is Grade 1 listed and is one of the oldest  wood framed churches in Europe. It has been continually in use snce 1343!

 An ancient wooden ladder leads up into the bell tower

 In the entryway to the church is a Table of Kindred and Affinity...it says who you can and can't marry!!

I don't make cards.......

.......but I do like to alter them and use them on a journal page!

 I bought this card in Wales this summer......I knew I was going to alter it at some point. Not quite a witch with her traditional Welsh hat but near enough!

 I stamped around the edges of the card, then used sand paper to distress it, I also added a little extra something to her baby and a quote at the bottom:)

 Was going to just use the card and throw the envelope away but decided to use it on the page, the altered card tucks inside it.

 Old postage stamps along the bottom edge of the envelope and around the edge of the page.

 Stamp the words along the bottom using paint, dry a bit withy a heat gun and then rub with a baby wipe, some of the paint that isn't quite dry comes away giving a distressed look to the stamping.

Picture this

I noticed this last week that the latest 

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS CHALLENGE

 is called SCRAP IT! 

While I am not a scrapbooker I do quite often use my photos on journal pages.......so I made this page and am entering it into the challenge, not entered a challenge for AGES!

 These are the photos I used, I took them this week while out walking......I just love the way the toadstools in the top pic are decaying and look like the edges are dripping:)

 I printed them in black and white and used them on this page.

The other thing that is a bit different with this page is that it's a single page.....I nearly always work on double page spreads......I did enjoy the smaller space to fill so will be doing it again!

 Kept the colour to a minimum......the black and white with some orange added for the Hallowe'en theme!

 All stamps used are from STAMPOTIQUE...the bat boy figure is called TETEWEA:)

 Liked the dribbly runs under the bottom of the pic which didn't quite fill the page so thie dribbles were a good filler!

Timeworn

Over the past several weeks I have been taking ANDY SKINNERS TIMEWORN TECHNIQUES online workshop....he has some fab techniques and I've really enjoyed it.

At the end of the workshop we are invited to make a final piece using some of the techniques learned......this is my offering.

 This piece has been in my head for a long time.....even before I took the online class......I bought the body piece.....an old inspection lamp.....years ago and it has been sitting around ever since and as you might know I like to use old doll heads!

I used a peeled paint technique on the main body section......... 

added painted  netting wings, heating with a heat gun makes interesting holes.....

 .......an old light fitting and bulb from my recent house renovations 

hang inside the old lamp......used some old meccano wheels to make her mobile.....have to admit getting them to fit was a royal pain in the you-know-what!

 ......on top of the doll head (they often have a hole in the top which can be a nuisance) 

I used one of those sink drainer/filter things with small light bulbs and metal leaves added...

 ....added a small book inside a metal frame thingy......used a rust technique on the frame and then hung it from the brass curtain ring round the doll head neck

 .....further paint techniques to colour the doll head.....I think she has a slightly sad look about her!

I had great fun making this piece and I am REALLY pleased with it.