I watch the BBC's Children in Need Telethon every year and this year I have painted a mixed media canvas which I am going to auction for them.

Here's why I want to do this... and a sneak peek of the Canvas in question! I just have to get the details organised and decide how best to raise the funds - legally and completely safely. I'll keep you updated!

You can probably relate to this if you're an impatient soul... but I hate "drying time", don't you? Especially on smallish projects. It doesn't bother me when I'm painting, because that means I can use any "spare" paint to make a background on cardstock/paper, etc. so that I don't waste it.

No, the drying time I mean is when I am creating something for a card, or a collage and I want to photograph it while the light is good (and that's no mean feat in the UK in the winter months!). So, to speed up my process, if my sewing table is uncluttered and I have room to stitch, I'll use my sewing machine to attach paper, elements, etc.

At the moment, I am surrounded by projects in varying stages of completion, so that wasn't an option this morning! Instead, I opted for metal elements, a pokey tool (otherwise known as a paper piercer), a few beads and some thin copper wire. I attach the wire at the back with a small piece of sticky tape, make sure the holes are easily visible and thread away... The thin wire is better than sewing thread too - it rarely knots or tangles and it can be wound tightly round the pokey tool to finish with a tiny spiral!

Besides, I'm a grungey, industrial girl deep down!! For more detailed pics, click HERE for my artblog.

Well, the little Gothic Arches booklet came together nicely in the end, but the brain definitely slows down when the virus gets its claws into you! It was tricky - lots of stitching and very little glue - so a lot of planning required! If you'd like to see it, it's on my Art Blog!

Does Halloween bring out your "dark side"? In a strange way, I have really embraced the Gothic this year - something new to me! I made these little pendants, which I named "Vile Vials" for The Seventh Wave Gallery's window display for this month. Would YOU wear one?

You just know that when your kids are off school with a virus that it's only a matter of time before it gets you! Well it hit me late last night and I'm dosing my self with paracetamols and hot drinks, trying to keep my brain functioning so that I can get creative today...

I shan't be listing because that, to me, is a "higher-brain" function and I'd probably make a complete nonsense of it, so I shall just get creative while my eyes hold out! So just a short post today to let you know that I'm around, (just about!) and working on some fun projects.

I put this altered jigsaw together last night with a little acrylic paint and the "key" that came with a tin of Corned Beef to open it. I like these and always try to remember to save them for use in my artwork. The slot makes a great place to use a bead as a stopper for wire-wrapping and the shape of the jigsaw makes it interesting to wrap and bead.... hope that makes sense to you?

This afternoon I shall be making a small book in the shape of a Gothic Arch for some rather "risque" vintage images from Ten Two Studios. If you look on the Home Page, you'll see a funky skellie jewellery set I created for this "Hallowed" month... It's at The Seventh Wave Gallery till the end of the month! If it doesn't sell during that time, I'll list it here!

Thank you for stopping by my Artfire Studio Blog. I'm delighted to be able to share more about what I do, how it comes into being and why I am here with you! I already have an established art blog on Wordpress.com, which has been running regularly for about 3 years now. That's where I talk artwork and creations, show my pieces for challenges and art groups, and promote the samples and projects I create for the 2 companies I am involved with: Lisa Vollrath's Ten Two Studios and Ria Vaneman's Home Impressions Rubber Stamp company.

I love what I do, and I love the contrast of working with 2 completely different companies - Ria's in The Netherlands and I submit to Craft Stamper magazine for her; Lisa is in Texas, USA and I create lots of very different samples using her 'surfaces' and huge range of collage images. Both ladies have encouraged me and helped me to grow as an altered and rubber stamp artist, and also as a Mixed Media artist, for which I am so grateful.

I do hope you'll pop in and read about my continuing art-ventures and what I'm currently working on...