I've been copying: Efemera Ink

'Efemera Ink' is both the name of a monthly crafting get together in my local area run by 'Effie' and it's also the name of Effie's blog which regularly features her inspirational altered items and mixed media projects.

Reading Effie's blog makes up for the fact that I can't get to many Efemera Ink craft days [or 'glue 'n stick' as they're affectionately termed!] due to an inconvenient distraction know as 'work'. Luckily, now term has ended I'm hoping to get to a few more.

Anyone who reads my own 'notes on paper' blog will probably have seen some of the projects I've made under Effie's influence, such as this skull-embellished money box and this mini crackled canvas. So I thought I'd share a project which I don't think you'll have seen unless [a] you've seen my @nabview Twitter profile background or [b] you've been in my hallway lately! So here it is in 'proper' Copy+Paste challenge style ....

*Copy*
This is Effie's finished example of the wallhanging we were to take inspiration from during her March 'Efemera Ink' workshop that I somehow managed to attend!

For more images and to hear Effie's take on the workshop have a read of her post here.

The key elements of the wall hanging she created for us to 'copy' were:

• a chipboard base;
• vintage book paper;
• velvet and lace coloured with iron-on disperse dyes;
• tomato puree tube metal embellishments;
• a triple embossed heart and;
• some stitiching.

After talking us through her process in the morning we all spent the day interpreting the idea using the provided ingredients but adding in our own finishing touches to personalise it.

*Paste*
Here's my finished piece, rather than use the gold colour of the inside of the puree tube I used the green [and barcode!] of the outside:

We stamped into the embossing powder on the heart while it was still warm so that the stamp leaves an imprint:My 'heads' background stamp is by Stampotique from Art From the Heart and then I cut two little heads free from the crowd, mounted them on to chipboard and embossed over the top with UTEE:As I mentioned, it now hangs in my hallway and here it is in situ:As someone who's always been generally quiet in group situations, I never thought I'd be the kind of person who enjoyed crafting in a group like Efemera Ink. But I do. A lot. It's always good to see how we all work in entirely different ways to produce items which, while similar in construction, are totally different in detail.

So, if you're thinking about joining a group but don't think it's for you, pleeeeease give it a try. At least once. You never know where it might lead. Before I met the Effie and the 'Efemera Ink' ladies I didn't know any other crafters in my area. Now I attend the workshops when I can, the crop each month with many of the same faces, a group of us get together twice a year for a crafting retreat in a country cottage and Jean who brings her shop [3DJean] to the crafting days recently asked a handful of us on to her 'Scattered Scarlet' design team!

Oh and ... crafting groups are also a perfectly wholesome way to get you out of the house, drinking tea, chatting with fellow crafty types and wherever there's a group of crafters there's, more often than not, an opportunity for eating cake! Who could argue with that logic?

We'd love to hear about the groups you attend [either in 'real-life' or online] or even those you wish you could attend. Are you a social crafter? Or do you prefer yourown company or do you enjoy a bit of both? You kow the drill .... we're nosy / curious ..... so whatever you want to share ... our ears are open ....

Thanks for reading today.

Julie :)