Morning everyone. This weeks Out of A Hat Creations challenge is “Summer Time”. Again lots of scope for this weeks challenge. For full details of the challenge, to see Chrissie’s, Janet’s, and Sandra’s projects and all of the entries please click on the link above. Ooo! Nearly forgot. There is a little surprise coming up as well!!!
We are asking you to make a project with “Summer Time” as the main focus. Maybe you have a favourite song, colour, holiday destination, or poem that conjures up thoughts of Summer. Cricketers on the village green with cream teas and bunting has suddenly sprung to mind! Not sure where that has come from. Maybe you like to make memory albums and have lots of lovely mementos and ephemera from summer holidays that could be included in your project. The choice is yours. Whatever your crafting style is, whether it be card making, tags, altered art, sewing or journaling we hope you will join in the fun.
For this weeks project I have made a hanging plaque. When ever I think of summer time I think of the old white villas in the village. The terracotta roofs, the large wooden doors, the ornate metal grills at the windows and the glorious colours of the geraniums and petunias cascading down the walls.
I used a 15 cm x 15 cm x 5 mm piece of ply. I drilled two small holes at the top for the wire. I base coated it with brown acrylic craft paint. I painted on some weathered wood crackle medium just around the edges. When that was dry I added a coat of off white acrylic paint.
I stamped the geranium and masked it with a paper mask. I stencilled over this using an ornate patterned plastic mask and distressing inks, just to give more depth in the background. Leaving on the paper mask, covering the stamped image, I then stamped the script.
I used watered down acrylic paints to colour the flower being careful not to smudge the distressing inks that had been stencilled on. I used some spray varnish to fix the inks and to give a coating over the painted flowers. I then applied a coat of crackle medium, giving a thinner coat at the edges, over the whole plaque. I then rubbed some brown acrylic paint into the cracks to give a distressed look.
One thing I would say is that the distressing inks, used on the background, really lightened in colour as I added the layers of medium and as it dried completely over night. I was quite pleased with the result though. The photo doesn’t really show the pattern up that well. Stamps used: Chocolate Baroque.
Thank you to everyone who joined in the challenge last week. The projects were just amazing. They really were. So many different and inspiring creations. You can see them all by popping over to the challenge blog. At the bottom of last weeks post you will see all of the names of everyone who entered the challenge. Each name is a link back to the respective blog. Just click on them and enjoy!!!
I can’t wait to see what you come up with this week.
Tat tar for now.
Best Wishes Florence x
Carpenter, painter and metal worker Florence. This hanging is just terrific and I am thinking of the Spanish villages we have visited and how wonderful this piece interprets them. All our geranuims are red this year–love the colour of yours.
Love Chrissie xx
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Hi Chrissie, Hope all is well. My favourite are the white geraniums. Great to hear from you. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xxx
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Beautiful plaque Florence and love your background that crackle is brilliant 🙂
Von x♥x
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Hi Von. Great to hear from you. Hope all is well. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Goodmorning Florence after reading your holiday destination descriptions and the village where you live I am ready for a holiday ! What a fabulous hanging I love it and the crackle is superb ! Beautifully crafted and those flowers oh how I wish I had a garden.
Marie
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Hi Marie. I would love a holiday too!!! 😉 Great to hear to hear from you. Hope all is well. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Love the way you have used that crackle paint Florence, the whole plaque is just so beautiful, it would grace any shop that sold elegant things. Very chic!
Hugs, neet xx
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Hi Neet. Lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well. Thank you for your kind words.
Regards Florence xx
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Great piece, with a very authentic vintage look! Hugs, Valerie
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Morning Valerie. Hope you are ok. Always great to hear from you. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Hugs,
Florence xx
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Stunning piece you know all it needs is a house name and it would work so well as a welcome or some such plaque its so summery and lovely
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Hi Amanda. Hope all is well. “Welcome” or a “house name” is a great idea. Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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Hi Florence
All is very well. You do such lovely work it is hard not to comment or feel inspired by it
hugs
Amanda
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Fantastic hanging, evokes memories of many visits to the continent, it shouts out ‘summer is here’.
Gorgeous colours and distressing.
yvonne x
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Hi Yvonne. Hope all is well. Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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That´s lovely and very evocative of the villages here!
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Hi Tanya. Hope all is well. The village looks so pretty at the moment doesn’t it. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Hi Florence. Your little plaque is so beautiful. I love the geraniums. Your inspirational memories are quite romantic and really conjure up a visual for me. I think I’m ready to move to Spain! LOL! I will be away this weekend and into next week so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to participate in the challenge but I will be checking in to see what everyone is up to. Tracy:)
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Hi Tracy. Have a great time away this weekend. We always look forward to seeing your projects in the challenge. If you can’t make this week we hope you will join in the following week. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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The plaque is gorgeous! The crackle really completes the look, and you did a great job! I’ll be giving this a try. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Hi Rebecca. Great to hear from you. Thank you for popping in and for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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How lovely Florence. Your plaque is beautiful, I love Geraniums too. Enjoy your Day. Hugs Rita xxx
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Hi Rita. Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to hear from you.
Hugs, Florence xxx
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Hi Florence, what a beautiful plaque, stunning geraniums and gorgeous crackled paint effect. When I think of the summertime in the UK I think of jam packed beaches with lots of sun burnt half naked Beryl Cook style people,(I’m including myself in this, not half naked obviously!! ) Oh dear not a pretty sight LOL. xx
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Hi Paula. LOL! You are so funny. Always great to hear from you. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Still giggling,
Florence xx
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Hello Florence
This is a beautiful piece of home/garden decor and far superior to those in boutiques and garden centres where their prices are ridiculous! Beautiful colour choice to create that weathered antique appearance.
Gorgeous.
Lynne x
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Hi Lynne. Hope all is well. I like the tin plaques with the vintage style roses on. Thank you for popping in and for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Aww you did it again, another fantastic piece!! woof woof! I would love to come and visit you and your garden. So beautiful.
Wendy and Jazz
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Hi Wendy. Hope all is well. Not much chance of sitting in the garden at the moment. It got fried over the last couple of days with highs of 35 degrees. Way to hot for June! Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx and one for Jazz X
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Hi Florence, well I wish I was living where you are – not a pick of sunshine to be seen over here, it’s a real ‘pea souper’ today. Your distressing on this it just fantastic and those lovely geraniums remind me of my granny, she always used to have them on her windowsill. xx
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Hi Suze. Hope all is well. One of my childhood memories is sitting playing in my friends verander/porch. It was full of geraniums. I always think of it when I smell geraniums. Great to hear from you. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Florence, good day! The geranium plaque is wonderful. I like the accent of the keys, too. A very pretty piece to hang outdoors or in.
I’m sending blessings and love for a wonderful day,
Marianne xo
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Morning Marianne. Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to hear from you.
Take care,
Florence xx
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You are just so talented, Florence. I expect to see you with your own little shop one day!
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Hi Barb. I would love a little crafty shop with a coffee machine and a couple of huge chesterfield sofas in it. I’m thinking in a small town in Western Australia. Nice to dream hey!!! Always great to hear from. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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Hi Florence, love love love this vinatge plaque it is so spanish looking reminds me and the Diamond of past holidays in spain 🙂 good memories. Great techniques, fabulous. Hugs Sandra XXX
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Hi Sandra. Hope you are the Diamond are ok and enjoying the weekend. Thank you for your lovely comments. Really enjoyed the challenge this week.
Regards Florence xxx
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I love it! It would adorn any place in the home. Next to the back door would be my favourite place! x
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Hi there. Hope all is well. Good choice!! I think that would be my favourite place as well. Thank you for your lovely comments. Great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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Loving your gorgeous hanging Florence, hugs Annette xx
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Hi Annette. Hope everything is ok. Thank you for calling in and for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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I can’t believe how you have made a plain piece of ply look so fantastic. It really looks old. The geraniums are perfect for summer, love them. Love it all.
Lorraine.
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Hi Lorraine. Thank you for such a lovely comment. Hope you are enjoying the weekend. I will be over later for a catch up on what you have been doing. Great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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oh Florence, this is is stunning….you really accomplished making it look weathered and rustic….looks like it has been hanging outside for ages….really beautiful!!!
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Hi Gisele, Always great to hear from you. I have not been blogging much this week but I have just noticed, from my e.mails, that you have entered the challenge this week. Will be popping over for a catch up in a moment. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xx
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oh, please dont be jealous of my garden, you are just seeing the pretty parts LOL…all the weeds and dishevelled parts are well hidden from picture taking !!! xoxoxo
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The wood looks wonderful, but you images are fantastic! What type of camera do you use? 🙂
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Thank you Gina. Hope all is well. The camera I use is a Nikon D40. To be honest, and I am ashamed to say, I only put it on automatic and take photos. I would like to be able to, but can’t do instructions!! 🙂 I have only, after 4 years, just worked out how to use the TV!! 🙂 I am really pleased with the camera. Apart from cropping the photos are not enhanced/altered in anyway. I have been trying to take better photos over the last couple of months so I really appreciate the feed back. Always great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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Hi Florence. Love your Geranium Plaque, The pictures are great too. It all looks very summery. Monika xxx
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Moring Monika. Lovely to hear from you. Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Thank you for your kind words. I have just spotted you have entered the challenge as well this week. I will be popping over in a mo’ for a catch up.
Regards Florence xxx
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A beautiful summery plaque Florence, I love the crackle.
Hope you have a lovely weekend
Alison xx
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Morning Alison. Talk about crackle!!! That’s an amazing project you posted yesterday. Loving the tea caddy. Always great to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words. Have a lovely weekend.
Florence xx
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Thank you everyone for calling in and for you lovely comments. They are truly appreciated. I have not been in blog land much this week. I hope to catch up with you all over the next couple of days.
Best Wishes,
Florence xx
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Hi Florence
Love your summer plaque,crackle effect is brilliant,so is your detail to paint the flower,STUNNING
Janet x
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Hi Janet. Hope all is well. Great fun again this week. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Regards Florence xxx
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Beautiful plaque Florence! I love the distress look. The potted geraniums are gorgeous. All the best. ~Sophia
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Hi Sophia. Great to here from you. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Kind Regards,
Florence xx
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Fab crackle Florence xxxx
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Hi Sam. Hope all is well. Thank you for your lovely comments. Always great to here from you.
Regards Florence xx
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Beautiful rustic piece with gorgeous crackling xx
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Thank you Joy for your lovely comments. So pleased you like it. Always great to hear from you.
Regards Florence xx
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I love everything about this Florence, it’s fabulous.
xxx Hazel.
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Hi Hazel. So pleased you like it. Thank you for your lovely comments today. Take care.
Hugs, Florence xx
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This was a nice one, Florence, and the photos beautiful. Geraniums are oldfashioned, but so many. I have many of them, they are so nice.
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Hi Bente. Hope all is well. I am an old fashioned sort of girl! 🙂 Gernaiums always give a good show. Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Great to hear from you.
Regards Florence x
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…oldfashioned, but lovely. Sorry for the wrong writing….
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Thats ok 🙂
Hugs, Florence x
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So pretty, Florence. You are a patient and talented crafter. 😉
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Hi Adi. Lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well. Thank you for your very kind words.
Regards Florence xx
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Beautiful hanging – it’s so deliciously weathered. Bravo!
Alison x
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Hi Alison. Great to hear from you. So pleased you liked this. Thank you for calling in and for your kind words.
Regards Florence xx
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