Zombie Fright Night at Calico Craft Parts!

 Hi, servus and how do you do? 

Over on the Calico Craft Parts blog I am sharing my latest make - a Halloween themed one, of course! There are some new Halloween Hanger Kits available in their store and I got the Zombie themed one to play with - and that was great fun! 

I added some other cool pieces from their wide range of Halloween themed craft parts to the kit, though of course it already looks great on its own. But you know me: I love to customise kits of all sorts and that forms a huge part of the fun for me. 

Some Zombie hands from the cool Add On Sheet here, a little bat and word element there...and that amazing log fence really gave a boost to the whole scene! 

The pieces were all painted using DecoArt paints of all sorts - if you want to learn more about the used Calico Craft Parts and paints and HOW I've painted and used them, simply click HERE to get to the according blog post over at the Calico Craft Parts Blog. 

Happy Halloween crafting!

Claudia

xxx

I am entering this make to Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge.

Faded Splendour - Fall Trio

 Hi, servus and thanks for stopping by! 

It's been such a long time that I have been taking a break from crafting and I am just slowly getting back into the saddle - with two studios in which there is always one or the other medium, stamp, cutting die or paper pad missing because it is in the other place...but I found that this forces me to improvise more and also use stuff I have been hoarding on forgotten shelves for ages - so it is a bit challenging but also a good thing ;)

I also found I am enjoying the freedom to pick and use whichever media and products I want to use with a single project (instead of having and/or trying to do an single-manufacturer-design-team-project). 

So here it is - a little trio inspired by autumn which is already in the air these days and which is still my favourite time of the year (even though it also is the most challenging when it comes to health issues I've learned). 

I have already shared this project on the Calico Craft Parts blog (where you can find the list of craft parts I have used alongside the Sizzix "Funky Insects" dies set from Tim Holtz) - simply click HERE to get to their blog to find out about the many cool substrates and add-ons from Calico Craft Parts' wide range of MDF parts. There are also some infos on and pictures of the finished project that I am not sharing in this post...

I really LOVE the Funky Insects dies (which is no surprise as I really LOVE insects in general ;)! 

I want my displayed insects understood as "found beauties" that were already dead and lying on the ground, having been found during a walk in a lovely late autumnal forest (instead of insects having been hunted down and put to death to display them in all their shiny glory). Their wings may be crinkled and the colours already fading a bit, but there is this special beauty in decay and the fact that the splendour is still there and visible is maybe the best proof of their timeless beauty...

I had a pack of self made small background papers - all done using Tim's Distress and Distress Oxide Inks - 

...and I used some of these to die cut the insects' parts from. I used Tim's Sidekick and fixed it to my Travel Glass Media Mat - two of my favourite products  (I found a "lefty" glass mat on a sale and use it upside down to have the white area to the right) to work with. 

I crumpled the wings and then highlighted the crinkles with gathered twigs Distress Ink. I also used one of the small Detail Blending Tools to blend the edges of all the tiny die cut pieces. 

Using my large Sizzix Big Shot I die cut three of Tim's Décor Frames and primed these with DecoArt Raw Umber Student Acrylic paint. Once that had dried I scraped on some white DecoArt media Crackle Paint here and there and let that dry naturally. 

In the meantime I added DecoArt Triple Thick (using a detail brush) to the insects' legs, eyes and feelers for more dimension and a bit of gloss. 

Once the crackle paint had dried I smudged some walnut stain Distress Crayon with my fingertip across the crackled areas to tone down the bright white and highlight the cracks. 

I also added some antique linen Distress Glaze on top and Fran-tage Aged Copper embossing enamel in some of the untreated spots on the frames. 

For a bit of bling I sprinkled diluted DecoArt Vintage Brass Extreme Sheen acrylic paint on the finished and glued together insects, using a splatter brush. 

Time to pick some MDF panels from my Calico Craft Parts stash! I decided to go for a slightly different centre piece - so I used a beer mat and two ATC blanks. 

I also used two label holders and the Faded Splendour Word Element. 

The ATC blanks and the beer mat got covered with DecoArt Découpage paper using DecoArt matte Decou-Page.

Then the edges were blended using dark brown archival stamping ink, before I fixed the frames, label holders and insects into place using thick black sticky foam pads for additional depth.   

I also like to use the sticky foam pads' excess and cut that to size - that is especially helpful when you don't need a circle shaped pad but a thin square one...

The little signs with the Fig. numbers were stamped in black archival ink using Tim's Classics #12 stamp set and then toned down using Antique Linen Distress Stain. 

Voilá!

The finished trio.

I hope you feel inspired and like it as much as I do! 

Hugs and happy crafting!

Claudia

xxx

New Year , New Paths, New Hopes and a New Steampunk Challenge

 Hi, servus and thanks for stopping by my quiet creative corner! I hope you've all had lovely holidays and I wish for us all that 2021 will bring everything we've been hoping for! 

Those who have been following me might already know that I have been struggling hard with health issues (mainly caused by menopause in combination with my chronic thyroid illness) during the last twenty months or so - panic attacks and nervousness with shaky hands having made crafting almost impossible at times. I am now trying to tackle that differently (after having tried different ways of medication during the last months which turned out to cause severe side effects instead of improving health) by seeing a therapist (so much better than flooding the body with chemicals it obviously cannot take) and I believe that things will get better step by step - maybe slowly but for good and with a lot of improvement on the personal side. 

That will very likely also lead to new, different ways of living and expressing my creative side I guess...my main goal with this is that I will get back to enjoying the creative process - free from any pressure or struggle with shaky hands and nervousness. During the last months I have already cut back when it comes to design team work, but luckily my favourite design teams I am on are very understanding and wait for me to return! 

Speaking of design teams - our first challenge for 2021 has just launched over at SanDee&amelie's Steampunk Challenges and there are some changes there as well: due to Corona pandemic DecoArt cannot send out prize bundles for now. As requests on certain products have exploded during Corona pandemic, they had to adapt to that and cut back on other specific product lines - one of these being our prize bundle paints and products. DecoArt and I have decided to switch to two-months long challenges until everything is back to normal (which we all hope will be in or around April) and prizes can be shipped out again as usual. We will of course draw prize winners for all our challenges, but ask our DecoArt prize winners to be patient as their prizes will be sent out later this year. 

My mojo is still on vacation - not only because of my health issues...but also because I am currently busy with moving in our newly bought holiday home at Lake Atter in the beautiful Austrian Salzkammergut!!! My husband and I were incredibly lucky to find and buy our dream house in our dream location this autumn - I am still pinching myself! It's not a big house - but it has everything we need and is a modern house made totally of wood! I love that! And it offers everything I had wished for - located close to a lot of hiking trails and even a skiing piste, just a two minutes drive from the lake, with forests and mountains and the view at the lake (and the very top of the amazing Dachstein glacier) just around the corner! 

But back to mojo and challenges - I am sharing this older steampunk project to inspire our steampunk challenge players; one that hasn't been shared via the challenge blog but on the Calico Craft Parts blog - HERE. There is a full tutorial to find there as well as loads of images and a list of products used. 

It's a notebook I've made using one of Eileen Hull's cool book dies and Calico Craft Parts. The metal and weathered effects were created using DecoArt and DecoArt media paints and products (more info on these in the blog post over at Calico Craft Parts). 

The covers were die cut from heavy grey board and I found some little journals that fit perfectly as signatures (so I do not need to make my own). 

Well, that's it from me so far! The team over at SASPC are waiting for your visit and entries! 

Make sure you check out the different rules that apply for our two-months long challenges (Maura, your current challenge host for January and February, explains everything in the blog post)! Good luck and joyful crafting!

Hugs and a successful, healthy and happy 2021!

Claudia

xxx

A Little Bit of Xmas Crafting

 Hi, servus and thanks for stopping by today! 

How's everyone getting along with Christmas preparations? I hope you can all enjoy the advent season and find some relaxed time off real life with Corona pandemic and the usual hectic rush before Christmas! 

This is another invite over to the Calico Craft Parts blog where I am sharing some really quick Christmas projects today - all done with wood shapes from the wide range of winter and Christmas themed craft parts! 

The list with the craft parts (and few DecoArt products) used and some short explanations (honestly not a lot needed regarding the simplicity of the makes) can be found on their blog too. Hope to see you over there! 

Hugs and happy Xmas crafting!

Claudia

xxx

Step Right Up! - Artist Trading Block for Calico Craft Parts

 Hi, servus and thanks for stopping by! 

My usual Monday invite over to the Calico Craft Parts blog is two days late, because this Monday my husband and I got the keys to our new home in the beautiful Austrian Salzkammergut region! We found a lovely modern (and affordable!) wooden house with a small garden at my beloved Attersee (or Lake Atter)!!! So instead of crafting, my time is being filled with planning furniture and organising. 

But I even found the time to indulge in a joyful mixed media session - which led to this circus themed ATB (Artist Trading Block)!

I fell in love with the circus themed new craft parts at first sight (well, who wouldn't, right?). As always there's a tutorial over at the Calico Craft Parts blog to check out, as well as the list of craft parts and products used. 

I hope to see you over there soon!

Stay safe! 

Claudia

xxx

Blair Witch Manor - a Calico Craft Parts Project

Hi, servus and thanks so much for stopping by, dear creative friends! 

I am finally back after a creative break with a new project for Calico Craft Parts and of course it is a Halloween themed one this time. 

A small cemetery is part of it...

...but the main project is an obviously abandoned manor...

...with a front garden that has taken on a life on its own...

...and it has an uninvited lodger in the basement.

Will-o'-the-wisps light a neglected garden...

...and who's that behind the half open door?

Seems he is already waiting for YOU! 

If you want to find out more about the maybe not totally abandoned manor (and see it by day light) and also about how I've done everything, simply click HERE to get to the Calico Craft Parts blog. A (very) long detailed tutorial with loads of process images is waiting there for you to be checked out. 

I hope you like the tuto and the project!

Hugs and happy Halloween crafting!

Claudia

xxx

I am entering my spooky project to https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/

Numeric Goddess - Revisited - for SanDee&amelie's Steampunk Challenges

Hi, servus and welcome back to a new challenge over at SanDee&amelie's Steampunk Challenges.

As usual we had our annual two-months long summer special challenge so everyone could enjoy their summer outdoor activities and still squeeze in some steampunk crafting, but now we are back to our monthly schedule, two prizes are once more waiting to be given away and the team has once more come up with some amazing projects for your inspiration.

I obviously needed that total break from crafting (in order to get back to a healthier daily routine) - so I haven't done any crafting during the last month (all projects and posts for August having been prepared and scheduled) - but instead of sharing no project at all, I have decided to present a steampunk project that I did for Calico Craft Parts two years ago and that you might not know yet.

My "Numeric Goddess" looks quite large in this picture, but actually it is a tiny assemblage piece.
If you want to learn about the craft parts and products I've used (and the how-to as well), simply visit the old blog post on the Calico Craft Parts blog HERE.

It's always amazing by how much mixed media you can "throw" on the smallest surface! A bit of crackle here, ...

...some wire wrapping there,...

...an improvised stand in steampunk style...

...and some found objects from my little treasure box on my desk 

- 

et voilá! 

The number 7 is my lucky number, and my frozen charlotte was missing a head....this way the idea for this piece was born. Sometimes I just need to look at a random collection of bits and bobs on my desk (or in my little treasures box) and it sparks an idea for a project.

I hope you like her! Maybe one day she gets free to fly again...

The team and I would love to see you play along with us over at our steampunk challenge blog! Simply click HERE to get there and check out their fabulous makes! As always we have an "Anything Goes - Steampunk/Industrial" theme - so you are free to create away and enjoy what you love most. Please, make sure you've checked out our few rules though. These can be found right below our blog header in the "Da Rules" section. ;)

Hugs and happy crafting!

Claudia

xxx

The Start of a "House Journal" - a Calico Craft Parts Project

Servus, hi and thanks for stopping by! I hope you've had a lovely weekend!

It's Calico Craft Parts time today and over at their BLOG I am sharing the first piece of a kind of House-Journal I have been wanting to create for a long time, but haven't found the courage yet to start. But finally I took the first plunge and the first house is waiting for you to be visited ;)

A sneak peek should give you a first impression on what kind of mixed media project is waiting for you. Of course there is a step by step as well as loads of pictures and the lists of the Calico Craft Parts and DecoArt media products and paints used as well. Simply click HERE (or on the picture) to get taken to the blog post.

Hope to see you over there soon!

Have a good start into the week!

Claudia

xxx