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Altering things..

I've always loved the idea of buying something and doing it up but haven't done it till now. I bought a bird cage the other day from Store Twenty One for a fiver, and then got to work.








I started by finding some paper for the inside of the cage. I ended up using the free paper that had arrived that morning from Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine, and some kraft card. I also found some blue ribbon to which I added some more kraft paper that had been die cut. I then got my only set of framelits, and cut alternate sizes of the patterned and kraft card, all inked with tattered rose distress ink and then stamped with a sentiment. The only other thing on the inside of the cage was a length of twine to which I added some blue pegs. 
On the outside of the cage I added some yellow flowers. If you look closely you can see some droplets of water on them, another plus with the choice of glossy accents as a glue is that it makes perfect raindrops. I coated some chipboard swirls with peeled paint distress ink and then stickles, which I attached to the cage by the flowers.On the other side I added some bunting made from Sew Lovely paper, and some more paper flowers. I didn't have any blue ones so I inked my craft sheet with distress ink in China Blue and then sprayed water to activate it (a very important point I keep forgetting) before applying it to white flowers with a paintbrush. I also attached some hinge pieces to the side of the cage that I had painted with picket fence crackle paint and inked with a couple of light distress inks to give it a leathery effect.

I was so pleased with this that when I popped back into Store Twenty One today and found the bigger cage on sale for four pounds I snapped it up!

Aside from the cage, I have also been working on a necklace this week. I originally had an idea to do a void necklace, that is, to die cut a shape out of shrink plastic and then use the rest of the plastic for a necklace. That in mind, I chose the umbrella man as my die. I first background stamped the square of clear shrink plastic, then cut out the umbrella man. I coloured him grey, and the void section blue. I also cut out a lamppost and coloured it black.

Unfortunately, the void didn't work in the way that I had hoped, so I rethought, and decided to use the umbrella man himself to do a memory frame necklace. Here is the result.




The thing I really love about memory frames is that you can have two necklaces in one. The first side is Docrafts paper, inked with fired brick and victorian velvet. To that I added a strip of film ribbon, and some rub-ons, which I coloured with gold distress stitckles. I also added fired brick and peeled paint distress stickles to the paper. On top of the glass I attached my umbrella man, and then used blue china distress stickles and glossy accents to make raindrops.
The other side was Docrafts papers again, but, instead of inking them, I added rub-ons to the glass sheet. I then added the lamppost, and used gold distress stickles and glossy accents to give the lamp some light. 

The last thing I did was to add an extender chain to the necklace (unfortunately not the same colour but I have to make do with what I have) and attached some charms, which were a key, a tree, a crown and some buttons.

Looking back on this past eighteen months, my depression has waned on occasion but always been a presence. However, since I have been crafting I have started to believe in myself in a way that I never thought possible. It would never have occurred to me that I would be able to create items such as this; items I am really proud of. It just goes to show that it is never too late to unleash your creative side.

Until next time, happy crafting
Emma x

Comments

  1. Both beautiful Ems. Very well done. I can tell you're feeling brighter and lighter, just by reading this post. Your mood has lifted by 50 points! (and I think there's only 55 of them too! lol). Great to see you so happy. ~ Cobs.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks Cobs, as always your comments brighten my day. I'm still having ups and downs but more ups than downs at the moment :)

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  2. Lovely things ems. You should be very proud of yourself. They really are amazing makes. Im really glad your feeling better too. Crafting is a great distraction xc

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    Replies
    1. Thanks anon :) I always appreciate when people take the time to comment on my blog. Crafting is not so much a distraction but a therapy I think.

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  3. Wonderful makes Emma,you should be proud of them. Creating is the best therapy in the world because you know the power of inspiration within you,not everyone has that ability,be proud you have :)

    Hugs
    Donna xx

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    Replies
    1. To be honest Donna I think that everyone has the potential to cr eate in some way. I never thought I would be doing things like this; I'm constantly surprising myself with my work and I only started crafting a couple of years ago. I have never been the arty one so it's never too late to get into it. Thanks for the compliment on the makes, always means the world to me when people like my work

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