New Blog Home and Blog Candy

I have moved my blog to a new home at  http://thealteredegoblog.blogspot.com

If you pop over there you can find some lovely blog candy

Ich traum von Rost

I have been taking part in Linda Baldock's amazing international art doll swap. This is my creation, and she is now on her way to her new home in Germany, hence the name which means "I dream of rust". The work from the 80 plus participants is stunning, whether people are making their first art doll, like me, or are experienced art doll makers. I have had so much fun. seeing all the work, and am very excited about the doll that is on its way to me, I've seen a pic and she is a beauty.

I am also using this in the Happy Daze Facebook challenge where the new theme is dollies - anything doll related - altered doll, new made doll, work using stamped or collage images of dolls, card, ATCs, fabric, canvas etc. Closing date is midnight Sunday 12 June and as usual one entry will be drawn at random to win a £15 Gift Voucher. Maximum of 3 entries per person.

in Flight

I made this little shadow box as a piece for the current Happy Daze Facebook challenge - In Flight which closes on Sunday at midnight. Pop over to the Facebook Page and see the entries so far.

Black and White

I went a little "old school" with this case. It started life as a papier mache box, I've papered it with Delish Designs Peppercon papers, added flowers made with Ten Second Studio metal and lace, I love a metal lace combo, and the lid has a base of black acrylic paint with a thick layer of white Viva Croco crackling over the top. I am using it as a sample piece for the new challenge on the Happy Daze Facebook page - Black and White.

I've been screening!

I finally got this box finished as a very belated Birthday present for a friend. I used texture paste through a screen to create the pattern effect which was coloured with spray inks, wax and copper leaf.



She was also leaving her job and developing her art practice in photography and jewelery making so I added a did this smaller box, using the same screen and gold texture over metallic turquoise paint as a good luck gift.

I am going to pop both of these in the current challenge gallery "Made with Wood" on the Happy Daze Facebook wall

It's like buses

You know, nothing for ages then 2 come along at once! So here is yet another blog post! This little Bird House altered with metal was spotted just after I'd made it by a very talented friend of ours, Maria Slovakova, an artist, poet, performer and all round amazing person. She is releasing her first record shortly and asked me to make a series of these, all slightly different, to animate for a video, how cool is that, and how chuffed am I.

A Klimt Inspired Box

A friend of mine is fond of the paintings of Gustav Klimt so for her birthday recently I made her this box with a hint of Klimt. I didn't want to use The Kiss as she has that image already but chose instead the Alter of Dionysus as an image to go on the lid, the rest of the box is decorated in a style stolen entirely from the Alice in Wonderland themed boxes made by Carol Fox, thank you Carol for letting me steal which I felt added to the Klimt feel. The box was painted in gold and a PVA peeled paint in cream effect was applied over the top, clear Viva Crackle paint was applied over the image, the base and inside were treated with Glue N Seal and copper foil added in parts, new hinges and closure fitted and four large glass beads attached as feet. The hard part is waiting between the layers for it to dry when you are doing the inside and outside and top and bottom of a piece duh!

The Bluebird of Happiness

Back in February as we tramped around the craft Trade Show a few of us got talking about hats- 2011 we felt would be the year if hats, what with Royal weddings and what not. So we decided to each create a new hat an d this is my effort. It has everything except the Kitchen sink on there, a bird house, nest with eggs, a couple of birds and a pile of feathers. I did have fun!You can see the other hats on the Happy Daze Design Team Blog - click the link on the right. There you will find "Matilda's Walking Hat" a Steampunk creation by Carol Fox, "A Bee in Her Bonnet" by Jo Capper-Sandon featuring stamps she designs for Stampotique Originals and "Mad as a Hatter" an Alice inspired piece by Julie Dandy.

Altered Hands

Those who know me will be aware I do love to have my nails painted. Well they only usually look nice for about 5 minutes before I've got ink or paint all over them, but these I might jsut have to look after more carefully. This cunning effect is created by a base colour – in this case “Outrageous Turquoise”, with a layer of a new polish by OPI called "Shatter" over the top and hey presto crackle paint effect nails. I'm loving it. Best get some of those cloves to wear when playing now to keep the nails looking lovely.

Another Mirror

This one I made for my lovely sister for Christmas. It uses Inka Gold paints and lots of pretty things by Prima and Pink Paislee. The little birs is air dry clay in an icing sugar mould painted with Inka Gold - deelishus

Bad Blogger

I have no idea where time goes, one minute it's Easter, then you are wondering where Summer went, then you are caught up in the rush of Christmas and suddenly it's a whole new year. I don't make resolutions but I an so going to try and blog more often this year, well let's face it it wouldn't be hard would it.

I am starting with some Christmas presents I made. I set a rather hard task of making most people something as part of their gift and like last year I did not get a chance to take pics of most things but at least I got some of them. There was something of a theme this year with lots of people getting mirrors. you know those fabby mirrors from a certain Swedish furniture and furnishings chain store that are as cheap as chips, well actually as chips used to be as even they are not that cheap anymore, but I digress, fabby wooden mirrors which scream "alter me " at the top of their splintery little lungs. The first one uses Ten Second Studio Metal in Bronzed God, Gold Nugget and Peacock , embossed with a range of Cuuttlebug folders, Tim Holtz Sissix folders and TSS plates which was then cut into patchwork and stuck on (technical term that!). The flower is also embossed metal, stuck to card to prevent raw edges and cut with the Tim Holtz Sissix Tattered Florals die and finished with and Ideology Fanciful Accoutrements button.

The second frame is painted with acrylic paints and collaged with a corner element from the Pink Paislee Artisan Elements, bling flourish, Websters Pages Cameo, Prima butterfly and flowers and vintage image and buttons from my stash. You can see the reflection of my hands and phone taking the photograph in the mirror - how professional - not!