It must be LOVE......

 Ooooh....It's been a chilly weekend here....

Good excuse to hibernate in the craft-room!!

So for some creative inspiration

I've been blog-hopping

in search of a  Challenge or 2!!(or 4!!) to get those creative juices flowing!!

-oOo-

I've had these neglected wooden mini drawers in my craftroom for absolute ages..

So when I was looking around for something to alter for a Valentine/Love/Recipe/Texture Challenge

It shouted out ....

"Pick Me!!!" 

-oOo-

I shabbied it up with some crackle painting

...and distressed the edges with distress inks (#SSS challenge- recipe element)

...added some crackle painted chipboard wings (#SSS challenge- recipe element)

Tim Holtz #14 plaquette

(perfect for Valentine's day!!)

The crown was originally a metal christmas tree decoration

..... got a pack of 6 of these little lovelies in the IKEA January sale for 50p!!

The crown also got crackle painted,

....then added lots of lovely vintage buttons (#SSS challenge- recipe element),

a gem (recycled from a keyring from a christmas cracker!) and a heart charm.

 

Ripped of the original little wooden drawer pulls

...and replaced them with more TH goodies

(Curio knobs)

The fourth silver drawer pull was a giftie from my lovely friend Tina in Texas!

As I just mentioned

I tore those little wooden knobs right off!!

But they didn't go in the bin...

Oh No!....nothing gets wasted in the Smifferoo household LOL! ;)

I stuck them onto the bottom of the drawer unit

to make little feet!!

Lined the drawers with some old torn edges of music sheets (#SSS challenge- recipe element)

and used some Andy Skinner 'Antiques set' stamps to decorate two of the drawers and the sides.

(Just love this candelabra stamp)

Thanks for Peeking!

Jan x



The challenges that inspired me to alter my drawer unit are...

 Retro Cafe Art Gallery Valentine's Day Contest

Simon Says Stamp and Show's recipe challenge of "torn edges, distress ink, button, and wings"

Sunday Stamper -Wk192 - Love

There is a whole lot of texture going on in the form of crackle paint, buttons, metal, glass etc.... so I'm also entering it in the Stamp Man's "texture" challenge.

Lets get Shabby Challenge #31 - This is the New Year

....for challenge #31 this month at

 Let’s get Shabby

It’s all about a

 'New Years Song'

To find out about the full deets of this fab Challenge you need to hop over to the

Let's Get shabby Blog 

you will also see some inspiring projects from my very talented team mates...

...believe me you wont be disapointed!!

-oOo-

Anyway here is my DT take on this challenge..

I decided to make a little 'Dream' Box

The idea is..... I can write down little notes of my hopes and dreams for 2012 and pop them inside my dream box!

-oOo-

To create my little 'Dream' box...

I started of with a box blank

I waded through my stash of lace, buttons, chipboard, embellies etc... this is my favourite part of the creative process.

Then I had a little play.... of where I want to place the embellishments onto my box.

When I was happy where I wanted to put everything...

I then crackle painted my whole box.
(I'm a little addicted to crackle painting at the mo...Beware..If it stays still long enough around here it gets crackle painted LOL!!)
I used the PaperArtsy Fresco finish paints

...added some Tim Holtz feet (love these)

Lid

 Mmmmmm...I do believe in maximum embellishment LOL

(A mix of vintage and new embellies...)

Front

side

back

...envies for my hopes and dreams for the year.

.....So  go checkout

let’s Get Shabby

 for

Challenge #31

....and some fabby shabby inspiration!

for the full details/criteria on this challenge

Click Here

Can't wait to see what you do with this challenge 

Thanks for peeking! 

Jan x

-oOo-

BOO !! Happy Halloween....

BOO !!

 Been busy carving pumpkins today!!
and this is my Halloween 2011 effort...

I know, I know....need to get out more LOL!!

Pumpkin inspired  (OK...'pinched' the carving idea from google images!!)

-oOo-

TRICK OR TREAT!!

Catching up here...on posting about some of the Halloween swaps I've been involved in....

This is the Halloween matchbox I made for Gail

over at the

Flickr Matchbox Group

Witches on  Fabric, buttons and charms...

 Inside the matchbox

My  Goodies for Gail...

-oOo-

Ready for more 'weenie' wonders!....

 these are the lovelies I receieved from my partner Karen....

Also over at the

Flickr Matchbox Group

How cool is this  Coffin shaped matchbox...

 ..and more witchiness on the inside

WOW!! Goodies from Karen...

Altered bottle cap, spoon, inchie booklet, card and a bag of choccy/candy :)

...And definitely more Treats than Tricks !!

Thanks again for a fabulous swap Karen!!

 Just peeking out the door, Not a witch in sight but did see this tonight...

No, it's not a spooky UFO

Just the Goodyear Blimp flying over Thurrock!!

-oOo-

Oh...another Halloween trade!!

Remember these?...

These are the crafty goodies that I sent to my lovely friend Linda

for our little (5 item) Halloween Challenge.

(Mmmm, there is actually 6 items there!!= not 5!!)

..... and this is the Halloween tag and matchbox that I altered for Linda.

...and this is the Halloween gorgeousness I received in return.

WOW...Linda is sooo talented, I just love our little swaps!!

How spookylicious is the little Halloween booklet inside the matchbox!

Thanks again Linda for another fab swap!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!

Thanks for stopping by..

Jan x

Speckled egg - Petite Inspiration Box Swap - Curiosities Edition

Curiosities

I've just recently participated in Heather's 

 Speckled-Egg Petite Inspiration Swap Box,

Heather organizes the most fabby trades.

The theme of this swap is Curiosities ,

 ...the idea is to decorate the box and fill it to brim with inspiration/artsy goodies

My swap partners are

Julia  from Russia

and

Jane from the UK

These are the boxes I made for my swap partners...

For Jane, she loves Halloween themes...
So I altered my box for her, with a Raven witch, lace, pumpkin and broomstick!!

My Goodies for Jane...

-oOo-

..and this is the box I altered for Julia.

Julia doesn't celebrate Halloween in Russia

She said she liked shabby style and frozen charlotte dolls...

which inspired me to create  this ...

Goodies for Julia....

-oOo-

....and these are the lovelies I received from my swap partners...

from Jane...

...a Gorgeous Halloween decorated box

filled with some wonderful lovelies...

Gorgeous trims, pins, glass pebbles, doll, but my fave is the sweet little owl!
-oOo-
 and from Julia...

...another fabulous box

....soooooo curious to find out what was inside!

and WOW Look at all these lovely goodies. 

crochet flowers, buttons, clay faces, cherub, shells, french vintage emphera, but what really took my breath away, was this little cutie...

I have admired Julia's little baby creations on her blog, so was ever so Happy to receive one in her swap package!
So adorable!!

Thanks again Julia and Jane for being Fabulous Swap partners.
I just adore everything you both have sent!

Thanks for Stopping by!
Jan x