Steampunk Advent – #12daysofsizzix Challenge and AJJ September

Happy Wednesday!

Hope your week is going well so far.  An update from me:  I am still on crutches, but I had to go to the dentist yesterday which is up 4 flights of stairs and has no lift (elevator) and I made it up and back on the crutches and didn’t fall and break my neck!  This was a checkup appointment deferred from July when I absolutely could not have made up and down those stairs, so there are signs of improvement or maybe I’m just getting better on the crutches!  BUT then they gave me a filling since he had time and said he could do it there and then or I could come back later.  I did NOT want to come back later so he did it there and then.  I had not mentally prepared myself for that so I was a little freaked out and nearly broke my glasses as I was gripping them so tightly in my white-knuckled grip.  I also got an injection first to numb the area, and of course then spent a few hours drooling over myself as I tried to sip tea.  It must have been quite the sight, with me dragging myself down the four flights of stairs on the crutches and drooling from one side of my face like some creature from a horror movie hah!

Today’s art . . .

I finally finished this today (although the challenge officially ended yesterday) and on top of that, it’s for the Day 4 prompt – advent calendar hahaha.  I did all of mine out of order because I started late and just went with what I felt inspired to make at the time.  So this one ended up being the last one.  I’m actually quite pleased with how it turned out.  It took a bit of thought to work out how to get it to do what I wanted it to do using what I wanted to use.  I could have made an advent calendar a hundred different ways but I really wanted to use this specific viewfinder die set (not what it’s meant to be for) and fill it with advent countdown numbers.  It’s all about where the hands are pointing. The hands move as well as the dials. So because there are two dials, I needed two pointy fingers and something else for them to point at, so for days 1-12 (wheel 1) the pointy finger on the left points to one of those numbers and the pointy finger on the right points up to December, then when we get to days 13-24 the pointy finger on the left points down to December and the pointy finger on the right points to one of the numbers in the second wheel.

I used different die sets just because I wanted to use specific bits and pieces from each one but something similar could be done with less dies. I also used dies to make a stencil instead of just using a stencil, but I had already made the stencil for one of the other prompts to decorate some gift wrap, so I thought I would just make use of it again since it was already made.    I really enjoyed this challenge, even thought I started late and had to play catch-up, but I’m glad I completed it and now we can return to Halloween makes and I have an idea for a journal page I want to do (I was watching Queen’s Gambit on Netflix).  I will get around to posting the rest of the projects but first I need a cuppa.

I am also linking to Art Journal Journey’s “Anything Goes” theme hosted by Aimeslee from Paper Paisleys Art Adventures.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.   As always, thanks for reading and Happy Journalling!Ingredients
ribbon, xmas paper, brads, Sizzix Express glue, Lost Shadow Distress Oxide, Idea-ology cardstock, watercolour paper, Sizzix dies (see photo), raffia handle from old paper bag,

Challenges

Art Journal Journey – Anything Goes – September theme
#12daysofsizzix – Christmas Sizzix challenge on IG