Punch and Judy Theatre

Today I have a wee Punch and Judy theatre made with goodies from AlphaStamps

I made a Punch and Judy theatre eons ago (there's a tute for that one too) but this one is larger and much less fiddly... and slightly less violent.

If you aren't familiar with Punch and Judy it's a sort of violent puppet show which can be dated back to just before the 1700's, reaching a height of popularity during the Victorian era. More recently, they have a bit of a shout out in Gone Girl.

To look at these two you'd think butter wouldn't melt in their mouths... you'd be so wrong!

To make this piece I began with the Punch & Judy Theatre kit. Then covered it in Red & Ivory Narrow Stripes Scrapbook Paper. I've actually added two headers here. One attached to the rear from the Punch & Judy Theater Collage Sheet. A second one on the front of the the theatre from the The Grand Guignol Collage Sheet.  I think it gives a good feeling of frantic fun, perfectly suited to Punch and Judy.

The wee Union Jack flags are a public domain image I scaled down and attached to toothpicks. So fancy, Nichola!

The wee figures inside are removable.

  

Once again I get super duper fancy with my techniques  by simply folding the "stick-end" of the image from the The Grand Guignol Collage Sheet. Easy peasy!

I finished off the piece with some red dresden trims because everything is better with dresden. (I would trim myself in dresden if at all possible.)

And that is it! Fairly easy and you can make this project with all the bits found HERE. Or here are the supplies bit by bit:

Punch & Judy Theatre
Arch Top Theatre Facade
Half-Round Dresden Borders - Red
Punch & Judy Theater Collage Sheet
Red & Ivory Narrow Stripes Scrapbook Paper
The Grand Guignol Collage Sheet
Thin Looped Dresden Borders - Red

Additional supplies:

Toothpicks

Glue
Union Jack image
Black acrylic paint

Happy Toadstool Friends

I've been cleaning my studio and trying to complete items that haven't received all of my love or attention. I made these mushroom guys ages ago but wasn't completely happy with them. They'd wobble and their tops refused to stay put.

During my cleaning I rediscovered them and FINALLY got them sorted out. Their tops are now firmly in place and they are far happier paired in a tiny mossy plot than they were plonked on a surface.

They're made of polymer clay and sit on a mound of real and artificial moss.

I do think they're much happier together.

Just look at how content they look nestled next to one another!

Except this dude. This guy wants to smell the summer air and feel the sunshine in solitude thank-you-very-much.

All the toadstool guys are available in my etsy shop HERE

Romantic foldy thing-a-ma-bob and box

I'm exhausted so the best I could do for a name today is "Romantic foldy thing-a-ma-bob and box". It might not be terribly eloquent but it's apt. Managing apt is pretty damn good after the past few ultra hectic days!

But it is romantic. I mean, just look at this cute little cherub butt spreading love!

And the little thing within IS foldy.

I stand by my name choice.

I've kept things really simple here. The whole box is covered in Nature Garden - Meeting a Fairy Scrapbook Paper. I've given the top of the box quite a bit of dimension, using foam squares to prop up the nude little dude, and those flowers just sort of pop right out. (Those Small White Mulberry Blossoms are really cute!)

The ATC Scalloped Trinket Box is an adorable size for precious small things, but I'm keeping this shabby ATC Ticket Journal inside

I really put the ATC Ticket Journal to the test with loads of wet washes, smooshing and experimenting. It held up pretty well after all I put it through! And all of those fussy cut bits look sweet as can be together.

You can see the smudged and flicked and distressed paint here.

I just glued a bit of scrapbook paper into place and just went to town experimenting and playing with fussy cut elements and a bit-o-paint.

I like how cheery all those mixed up elements work together.

Want to make your own? See something you need to get your hands on? HERE is where you can find all the bits. And below is a list of all the elements I used.

ATC Ticket Journal

ATC Scalloped Trinket Box

Sheet Moss*
Nature Garden - Meeting a Fairy Scrapbook Paper
1/2 Inch Pale Peach Paper Roses
Small White Mulberry Blossoms
Collage sheets:
Butterflies Collage Sheet
Pink Fairies ATCs Collage Sheet
Pink Roses Collage Sheet
Seed Catalog ATCs Collage Sheet
The Language of Flowers Collage Sheet
Vintage Postcard Fairies Collage Sheet
Words Collage Sheet
Acrylic paint
Glue

Fairy Spying Spoon Wands with Tutuorial

I am in a bit of a tizzy today. I should have spent the day prepping and cleaning for this weekend's open house. (If you're near on Saturday, stop by, gimme a high five.) But instead I was lured away from the laundry and dusting by the fair folk. It's May Day, I should not be surprised.

So instead of the cleaning and the sorting and the organizing, I made fairy spying spoon wands. 

If you're not familiar with spoon wands, I totally swiped the idea from a child. His mum told me about how he was used a wooden spoon as a wand and I've been making my own ever since. 

Kids have the best ideas, and I do believe spoon wands are brilliant. I mean, something to stir and fold and mix and direct? That's exactly what I want a magical tool to do.

Today happens to be one of the very best days of the year to spy faeries, so I made some faerie spying wands... but there are soooo many possibilities here! 

Consider the magical properties of the colours you use. Add charms and bits of magic and whimsy. Incorporate knot magic! Embellish with runes and symbols to enhance your magical workings!

Or, you know, just make something cool as heck.

Jump over to my YouTube channel for all my tutorials and walkthroughs.