Magpie's Midnight Crafting!

Hello to anyone who has stopped by Magpie Heaven today and I hope you're having a happy Monday! Once again I thought I might not play along with Paper Artsy this week - much too busy...then over at http://blog.paperartsy.co.uk/ France Papillon had created a fantastic, vintage journal cover.
 I spent the post Christmas period working on a 'winter journal' inspired by Lynne Perrella's wonderful work and now I needed a cover so how could I resist the temptation to play, even though it was nearly 11-00pm when I decided to start?

I had done my journal in a hard-bound A4 size W. H. Smith sketch book with a smooth, black cover; not as nice for altering as the Paper Artsy journal France used. However, I found that rubbing with one of the sanding blocks from Paper Artsy made it much easier to paint with Frescos and to stick on embellishments. I had intended to simply play around to see if it was possible to punch holes in the journal cover with the Crop-o-dile. Discovering how easy it was to do this I just had to play on and on, altering the journal cover! Mr Magpie was on his lap-top ordering a new 'hands-free' phone so that I can receive calls and craft on (!)  but he went off to bed long before I finished. I had no Paper Artsy waxy paper, but I did have some ordinary brown waxed paper that I used for protecting  altered book pages, so I stamped this with a Tim Holtz background stamp of vintage script, clocks, a camera and film. Believe it or not - I don't have a brayer - always wanted one; but never got round to buying! I crinkled and distressed and painted and edged with Treasure Gold and - although the effect was not as good as France's - I quite liked it. I found lots of Tim Holtz grunge bits and pieces: hinges, key etc in my craft cupboard and altered these with Crackle Glaze.

My Grunge Paste had also arrived and I was excited to start using this! At 1.30 a.m there I was stencilling, painting and gilding and distressing to my heart's content. I distressed a torn label; stamped with the same T.H background stamp as on the waxed paper and added washi tape clocks and a torn collage piece from a Retro Cafe Art sheet. I also added a tiny shrink plastic doll head from a Lynne Perrrella winter stamp plate. If you click on the photo above you might just be able to see it attached to the label.

Just lately lots of the guest designers have been using corrugated cardboard in their projects so round about 2.00am, I decided to give that a go too! This is probably why 'Winter' looks a bit like it's had one too many hot toddies! I loved playing with the corrugated card, though!

                                   

I was determined to use my new Paper Artsy paint Guacamole which I combined with my favourites: Butternut, Sky, Smoked Paprika, Chocolate Pudding and Beach Hut with Snowflake to 'knock back'. The distress inks are Walnut Stain and  Aged Mahogany. My cover is not as understated as France's tasteful creation. Because winter is a time for fairy-tales, I always feel, I had wanted my journal to capture the idea of fairy stories and treasure hoards and - being a magpie - I must have my shiny bling! I added blue gems to the hinges, key and lock, which symbolizes the way that winter locks secrets and treasures into the ice. I enjoyed this project so much. Thanks to France for introducing some great ideas and getting me inspired! I wish I could have added some sewing, but the machine belongs to my daughter and I dared not sneak into her room to snaffle it and disturb her sleep at that hour - she's a very scary 19 year old who guards her sewing machine with her life

. I can't wait to see what's next over at Paper Artsy! Before that, though, I must go and prepare for this evening's students. Thanks so much for taking a peek at my midnight crafting in Magpie Heaven! I photographed this midday today, by the way! I didn't stay up until dawn to do it!