'Just for You'

Darcy has been absolutely phenomenal over at Paper Artsy this week! If you want to check out some of her incredible projects, including an adorable giraffe - yes - a giraffe! Click HERE.
I wanted to play along, but just before Darcy posted fabulous garden party ideas, we had a party to celebrate Mr Magpie's early retirement. I would love to have thrown another party just to have a go at these brilliant makes, but - well - call me a wimp - 2 parties in a week seemed a bit excessive! I've always wanted to make my own paper, but I didn't think there would be time and the giraffe - well that was way too ambitious: I haven't even had a go at the Geisha kitty yet from last time yet! There was the tin watering can, which I loved, but I had nothing like it to alter! Then I remembered! Lin @ Art from Herts had sent me two little tins to alter. I decided to make them into hand-painted gifts.

I painted the tins with Gesso as Darcy did her watering can.

Then I decorated the insides by painting with Fresco Finish paint in Guacamole and lining with some Prima paper. I painted the outsides with Fresco Finish greens and blues.

I also made some wrapping paper using Darcy's idea of brown paper painted with Fresco circles and stamped with PA images. I used a Hot Picks plate and carried on the theme with a couple of corrugated cardboard tags.

And here are the gifts inside, one for Isaac and one for Matilda - our Magpie Brood! I painted a scene with puffy clouds on my tin lids and stamped on some leaves and grasses, embellishing with shrink plastic medallions of  Lynne Perrella Geishas in shrink plastic frames covered in Treasure Gold. I received a consignment of Polyshrink from Paper Artsy earlier this week and I wanted to experiment, so I also made little tiny shrink plastic birds from a Tim Holtz die!!! Here is a close-up.

Matilda has been in Cyprus and we've all missed her, so on Wednesday we'll celebrate her return to the nest with little gifts! Thanks Darcy for inspiring me to paint on tin with Frescos and to make my own gift wrap - so much more personal and thank you Lin for those lovely little tins to alter! Have a great weekend anyone who had a peep and thanks for dropping by Magpie Heaven.