Meet the Alpha Stamps Design Team Blog Hop!

I mentioned a few days ago that I've had birds on the brain. This month the folks at Alpha Stamps sent along some new Collage Sheets for their Birds in Hats Swap. The birdy images are really, really nice and the Just Hats Collage Sheet is fabulous. You can click the graphic at the right for more information on the swap.

Being part of the Alpha Stamps design team has been grand. It's pushed me creatively, I've used some fabulous products I may not have tried otherwise, and I'm totally smitten with all of the other talented team members. It's a real pleasure to be in their creative company and I'm chuffed to take part in this "Meet the Team" blog hop.

If you aren't familiar with my work, most of my making is heavily influenced by old stuff, dust, history, folklore, nature, fairy tales and nonsense. I adore funny looking people in old photographs and I think that vintage paper is just about the nicest thing there is. I draw inspiration from every nook and cranny I can... from Georges Méliès to Monty Python to the moon - it's all fair game.

Anywho, below are the two "Birds In Hat's" coasters I created for the new swap theme. If you leave a comment below (be sure I can contact you) you could win the pair of them! Easy peasy. Check back on Monday, June 12 to see if you've won!

 

Now, don't forget to hop on over to the next Alpha Stamps Design Team Member Blog for even more chances to win some fabulous artwork by some very talented folks!

Seriously. Go. Now!

Pretty Pillows and Plenty-o-pork (Warning-Meat Images Ahead)

I've spent a week making stuff and doing very little cleaning. With my granny heading back to our house for a last hurrah before she leaves for England, I figured I better get the place gussied up.

Most of my morning was spent cleaning our white couch. Let me just say, if someone offers you a white couch, just say 'no'. This bit of advice is particularly helpful if you have children... or a husband who likes to garden and get muddy. My granny thinks our giant white suite is rather fancy. I think it's a fancy pain in the bum.

Anyway, that big old white thing is starting to show it's age and to distract from the gross areas that defy cleaning I thought I might make some pretty floral pillows.

Awww, so pretty. So flowery. So good at hiding the hideous marks on the sofa. D disagrees and said "What have you done!?" The dog was also agitated and barked at them a bit. They'll get over it.

More pretty pillows and you'll notice there's some manly activity going on in the background.

While I enjoy good food and can bake like no-ones business, my husband is a true foodie. His latest obsession is Charcuterie (fancy meat things) and boy is he obsessed. As I type, he is messing up my kitchen, lost in fleshy bliss, working all sorts of magic with a half pig fresh from the abattoir. (Isn't that a fantastic word?! Much nicer than slaughterhouse.)

Anyway, here's some of the mans new 'toy' and the thing that will give me peace and quiet for the next two hours...

Yay pork!

Birds and other little things

I've had birds on the brain recently. Between that robin banging at our windows and Alpha Stamps "birds in hats" swap and sale every things aflutter.

Here's a few new little paintings I just finished up...

 

Chickadee - Original Painting Acrylic on Canvas 4"x4"

Listed here

Sparrow - Original Painting Acrylic on Canvas 4"x4"

Listed here

Tiny Apple Blossom - Original Painting Acrylic on Canvas 2.2" x 1.5" 

 Listed here

Forget-me-not - Original Painting Acrylic on Canvas 2.75" x 1.9

 Listed here

 

Forget-me-nots are some of my favourite flowers. Because that particular painting is far from perfect it's listed at just $12. A pretty good price for an original work on canvas... even if it is teeny weeny :)

Pretty Wedding Traditions

Timing is everything. My husband bought a bucket-o-stuff at an auction recently and inside there were several  tiny horseshoes. Soon after I was asked if could make a wedding spoon and horseshoe for a young couple. Fate?

There's lots going on in those two little things. Birch bark and bay leaves for protection. A lucky sixpence. An antique iron nail to ward off the baddies. There's even a four leaf clover hiding in that jumble on the tiny little horseshoe.

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the tradition of giving a spoon and/or horseshoe to a young couple. When I got married I received a simple wooden spoon and a plastic horseshoe that had been given to my mum and dad one their wedding day. I carried it with my bouquet (along with a chocolate star wand!)

Awww, look how cute me and the mister were :)

xoxo

Moonbeam Marge

Moonbeam Marge,
had a large
jar to catch the stars in.

Lid screwed tight,
with all her might,
she'd wish for limes and sloe gin.

xoxo

Limited Edition of 5 Handmade ACEO's listed here.

More nonsense

Over the past week or so I've been trying to come up with another nonsense poem. I've written plenty of terrible stuff over that period. Today however, I have managed to come up with something fabulous that I can't share just yet because it isn't nearly done.

I shared the little bit I do have with the kid and husband at the dinner table. They both rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Because they don't have any taste at all that means it's brilliant! Woo hoo! Keep your fingers crossed that the rest comes a little easier and I can share it sooner than later.

Until then, here's another ACEO set completed!

They're hand cut, sanded, painted, assembled. A limited edition of 6. Listed on esty here.

Step away from the canvas

I have a very bad habit of overdoing things. I listen to the same songs over and over, watch the same movies, eat the same foods, until I am utterly sick to death. The same thing applies to making stuff. I have to change things up or else run a very real risk of boredom!

So, after about a week straight of full time (and then some) painting I took a break and created an edition of 10 ACEO's.

They are mounted on the cardstock pages from a vintage photo album. The night sky is layered book pages. The moon is vellum from the same old album.

There's 10 of these handmade lovelies available in the etsy shop HERE