A Monster Birthday!

Ok my life has been a bit of a roller coaster lately, working fulltime, teaching at the weekends and my Mum in hospital with a serious illness. I'm wondering when will it all end. :(

Hopefully the consultancy work I'm doing will be coming to an end in the next couple of weeks and I should have more time to care for my Mum and get some me time in the craft room too. Please be patient with me, normal service will resume at some point. xx

I'm still creating, but mostly making class projects, which I can share on here once I've done them :)

Here's a little snippet of a mixed-media canvas I'm working on right now.

I made this card for my Son's birthday and I thought it would be nice to share it.

I've used Dylusions stamps and spray inks. I love the grey theme, it makes it more sinister.

I've also used lots of stencils to add hidden layers of inks.

My Son loved his card. 

Hope you're having a good day especially with the sunshine being out today :)

Hels weekend 25th & 26th January 2014

We had a fantastic weekend with Hels Sheridan last week, there was lots of fun and laughter as always. Hels repeated the performance this weekend too, so I nipped up for a quick cuppa with the ladies at lunchtime. 

It was really nice to meet people who I know from Facebook and the blog world but hadn't met yet. :)

Here is what we got up to on our weekend and my two projects below.

Look at this motley crew, from back left to right Janella, Pat, Susan, Jayne, Jane, Sara, Karen, Helen, Joan, Jean, Dimps, Gemma, Tracy, Fallon. Front row from left to right. Sam, Joanne, Susie, Donna and me with a naughty Hels growing out of my head, doing bunny ears!

 This picture is so funny, Sam looks like she's pulling out a wedgie, Joanne looks like she's got a bit of trapped wind, and maybe Gemma too, Donna is protesting and I'm feeling the need for a little dance!

Payback for the bunny ears Hels! ha ha! Thats my girl Helen. :)

 Gemma's eying up Jayne's art work, and well what can I say, Susie just wants to be in on all the action I'd say!

 I caught Fallon and Tracy having a selfie moment!

Susie's ahead of the game and waiting for the next course of action.

This was my background before I started putting all my embellishments on the ATCs.

 My finished ATC piece. 

Finished canvas, with a bit of grungy paintyness :)

I'll be back with a monster birthday card later this week. :)

Ta ta for now Michelle xx

New Mixed-Media workshop at Wynyard Teesside

On the 29th of March 2014 I'll be teaching a 40 x 30 cm mixed-media canvas workshop at Wynyard Teesside.

from 10am until 5pm.

We'll be using all kinds of ephemera, inks, paints, grunge paste, stamps, stencils and pastels to make a colourful creation for you to take home. 

The class will be packed full of mixed-media techniques that you can use on cards, journal pages and altered art, as well as canvases. All supplies are provided, just bring a heat tool and a apron.

The venue has plenty of free parking, is just off the A19 and has a Premier Inn close by.

If you're interested in booking on the class please contact Sue Tucker (on facebook) or Sue Tucker's email on sue.tucker1@btopenworld.com. Or let me know and I'll get you in touch with Sue. 

I'd love to see you there. 

Michelle x

These are some of the mixed-media canvases I've done so far. 

  

Dyan's a STAR!

Two blog posts in one day! 

In November I went to Dyan's Star book class at Art from the Heart.

 I saw this star book on the table on preview day way back in October, and I just knew I wanted to do the class!

 It was nice and heavy, well made and full of really great ideas and techniques. 

I'm so pleased I did the class because now I have this fabulous book to look at all the time.

 I had a few more bits to do to finish it off, but with working and Christmas I didn't get chance to complete it.

However last night I finished it, I just love picking it up, its wonderful.This is staying in the front room this one!

Love this star!

Dyan has this class on again on the 1st of March 2014, I totally recommend going to the class, its well worth it, you get a whole Tim Holtz paper pad and load of Idea-ology too. And of course Dyan's stella company!

I enjoyed it immensely.

Michelle xx

What did I do Last Year?

Happy New Year!

Hope you had a marvellous Christmas?

This is me making the 3 bird roast of turkey, goose and chicken. It was very tasty indeed!

2013 was an incredible year for me, I started the year off on the PaperArtsy design team.

What an honour, love Leandra and Mark. 

Then had the chance to do a spot of demoing at Alexander Palace for PaperArtsy too. It was heaving and met a lot of people from Twitter. :)

As if 2013 couldn't get any better Dyan Reaveley gave me an amazing opportunity to teach at Art from the Heart. I was a nervous wreck, but I enjoyed it immensely because the ladies and occasionally a gentlemen were really lovely and supportive :)

Then I was made redundant from work, so I had more time on my hands to make bread and to craft!

I had a dabble in other art too and tried oil painting. 

Which resulted in a painting being put in an exhibition in the Infinity Cafe in Stockton-on-Tees.

My little painting xx

I had a bumper crop in the garden this year, the sunshine made everything ripen quickly..a bit too quickly!

Then I went back into work in September, back to my first love geology.

I wonder where 2014 will take me?

Looking forward to the adventure.

I have heaps more crafty classes lined up too, can't wait. xx

Have a fantastic 2014

Michelle xxxx

Christmas Burlap Panels & Sleigh

I made these Christmas burlap panels and sleigh for a class I taught at Art from the Heart in November this year.

They are looking very festive on my wall at home.

I really love putting up Christmas decorations I've made, it makes them that little bit more special.

I've used the Tim Holtz burlap panels which are great because they have a hard panel behind the canvas so you can stick and stamp anything on the front of them.

I've used the gorgeous Graphic 45 12 days of Christmas papers for the panels and on the sleigh.

The sleigh has lots of Tim Holtz festive die cuts on it.

I really enjoyed teaching the class we had Christmas music, crackers and chocolates too :)

I'll be back tomorrow with another blog post, bring it on!

I have a lot of time to make up for.

Michelle x