Velveteen Stamping & Brayered Backgrounds

Deb's Velveteen project

Distress Oxides with Mixed Media & Floral Punch Craft workshop

Floral  Punch Craft & Mixed Media

Saturday 2^nd December 

10 cards

Tuesday  21st November 

O Come Let Us Adore Him

O COME LET US ADORE HIM

Here's the original

And perhaps time for a little extra one!  

Christmas Workshop

Snowflake Reindeer

              Materials used:-

Stix2 products

6x6 white card blank

 S57268 A4 masking sheet

Glue gun & Rainbow iridescent glitter

S57277 white snowflake die cuts

Glue gun & sticks

Creative Expressions 

FRS 655 Snowflake Reindeer

Colour Cloud- Spring Bluebell, Lavender Lace, Indigo Mist

Glitter Kiss Frosty Sparkle

Methodology

1.   T

Methodology

1.           Take the card blank with the fold at the top & fold the front in half with the fold pointing upwards to form an easel card. Place to one side.

2.           Stamp the reindeer to left side of the piece of flat white card & onto the piece of masking sheet using Versafine Black.

3.           Carefully cut out the reindeer from the masking sheet (excluding antlers, snowflakes & lines) remove backing sheet & place over reindeer stamped onto card. Tip: take some of the “tack” from the sheet by lying on the back of your hand first to avoid taking the surface from the card.

4.           With the masking sheet in place, using a Smoothie gently stroke Colour Cloud shades Spring Bluebell & Lavender Lace from top over reindeer. Turn piece around & do the same from bottom. Try to leave a lighter area in the centre around reindeer body. When satisfied with result remove mask. Edge with Indigo Mist.

5.           Dab some of both colours onto a craft mat & using a small brush & water, watercolour the image. Use Indigo Mist to add some shading. When dry sparingly stroke Glitter Kiss Frosty Sparkle over the entire area of image.

6.           Sponge the die cut & tag with the blue & lavender. Add some dots of hot glue & glitter & set aside to set.

7.           Stamp sentiments onto the tag & the small piece of flat white card. Edge with Indigo Mist.

8.           Edge the larger strip of white card with Indigo Mist & attach the embossed pearl card on the top with foam tape. Attach this to the inside bottom edge of the card blank using foam tape to form the “stop” bar.

9.           On the craft mat make 4 dots of hot glue & cover with glitter. Leave aside to set.

10.         Attach “Wishing you…etc” to bar at bottom of card blank using foam pads (thicker ones at  centre to form a curve. Add a strip of foam tape above & below stop bar & cover with glitter.

11.         Take the piece of ribbon & thread the tag to the bottom section before tying around right of image. Attach image to piece of pearl card & then attach this, the bottom half only to fold of the front of the card blank to the left. Secure tag in position with a foam pad.

12.         Using small dabs of hot glue attach snowflake to right of card front & the glitter drops you have made to the stop bar & the left corners of the image.

Tall Christmas Trees

Materials used:-

Stix2

6x6 ivory card blank

Clear foam pads

Red & green Transfer foils

Tinted Intense card red & Christmas green.

Creative Expressions

JGS361 Tall Christmas

Colour Cloud- Basil Leaf & Natural Rosewood

Glitter Kiss Frosty Sparkle

Methodology

1. Taking the card blank fold the front back to the left & crease well. Take the strip of card & fold away from centre also.
2. Take the  2 pieces of ivory card & the strip which you have folded & sponge lightly with the 2 Colour Clouds.
3. Using Versafine stamp the large tree & small on the smaller piece of card & all sizes onto the larger card. Stamp the parcels along the strip. Edge the pieces with Basil.
4. When dry stroke with Glitter Kiss Frosty Sparkle.
5. Apply “Basil” to parcel stamp & stamp down both edges of inside right of card blank.
6. Layer pieces onto red & green card. Attach smaller piece to folded back section of card blank & larger piece to inside area.
7. Attach the folded strip to bottom of card blank with its front folded back so that the fold of the strip sits at the opposite side to the card front& the second fold sits inwards. It will sit over bottom of trees.
8. Stamp sentiment onto cream punched shape & then layer this onto red & then green.  Attach to inside left of card.
9. Add  clear foam pads to areas of card as shown in sample & apply red & green Transfer Foils

Christmas Robins

Christmas Robins

Materials used:-

Stamp set:- Hobby Art CS173D Snowman & Friends

Inks:- Distress inkpads- Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Evergreen Bough, Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint,

Versafine Onyx Black. Creative Expressions Colour Cloud Decadent Teal,

Other:- Stickles Red, Liquid pearl white. Green snowflake punch. Silver metallic ribbon.

 S/A diamantes.  “Falling Snow” embossing folder. Frosty Sparkle Glitter Kiss.

Ornate Bracket die

8 x 8 “Swing” card 

Methodology

An aperture has been die cut from front of card ready for you & the piece cut is what you will work on.

1.   The internal mechanics. Take the piece of  A4 white card, which has been trimmed to 7.5” wide & score at 3 ½” intervals starting from the right. From the narrow panel which is left cut a 1” tab at the top & bottom cut away cut in the centre of tabs. Fold these under & then fold the card mountain, valley style. Flatten out & place to one side.

2.   Take the die cut piece & stamp robins at the centre using Versafine. Edge with Decadent teal very softly & avoiding Robins. Stamp holly sprigs in corners.

3.   Using appropriate Distress inks watercolour the image & set aside to dry.

4.   Take the embossed piece of white card & gently stroke Frosty Sparkle Glitter Kiss first horizontally & then vertically. Set aside.

5.   Take the internal piece of card & stamp a robin & holly border along the bottom of the 2 panels at the right & centre. Paint with Distress inks. Stamp “Happy Christmas” above Robins on the right hand panel.

6.   Softly sponge the edges of the front of the card blank & the inside right side of the card with Teal & a Smoothie.

7.   Attach the sparkly embossed piece to the left of the inside right hand panel of the card.

8.   Refold the internal piece of card & line up the centre edge where the tabs are at the centre point of the aperture. Using PVA glue fold the tabs under & glue in place.

9.   Take the die cut stamped image & apply PVA glue to back of right side only & line it up in the aperture making sure it fits perfectly. Attach to internal panel.

10. Add glue to right hand edge of panel & close the card to position it before attaching. 

11. Stamp “Robins” sentiment onto the strip of white card trim & cut ends to centre to form a banner shape. Edge with Teal. Attach to top left of front using foam pad in the centre & DS tape at edges to form a curve.

12. Attach silver ribbon to top & bottom of card blank using DS tape. Attach snowflakes, diamantes, Stickles to berries & Liquid Pearls for falling snow & snow on branches.

Holly & Robins (A5 card)

Additional materials:- Versafine Vintage Sepia, coloured pencils, glue pen & crystal glitter,

holly die cuts,  s/a red pearls.

Methodology

1.      A scalloped oval has been die cut from the centre of the card blank.

2.      Take a Zig glue pen & apply some glue to the scalloped edges of the aperture from the outside & apply some glitter. Set aside to dry.

3.      Using the piece of flat white card stamp the Robins in the centre using Vintage Sepia.

4.      Colour softly with pencils & add glitter to snow on boughs with Zig pen. Apply foam tape to right side edges of the piece taking care that it will not show when attached to inside of card blank. This will make image sit back into card.

5.      Before attaching stamp Happy Christmas sentiment at bottom right of front of card with Versafine Onyx Black. Now attach the Robins to inside of card blank being careful to centre it properly.

6.      Add some veining to holly leaves using a DEET, apply glitter with Zig pen & then attach to card at top right & bottom left.

7.                  Attach organza double bow to top left & add red pearls to holly.  

Driftwood Frames

Hi there here I am again at last, haven't blogged much lately as I've been busy with workshops & demos. Just thought I'd show you the last workshop  projects from last weekend which went down well with everyone. I used the MDF frames from Creative Expressions with Gilding Polishes,stamping & die cutting.The frames come in a set of 2 sizes & we concentrated on the larger one but I did the smaller as a suggestion of what you could do.There were a lot of ideas flying around as to what the girls were going to come up with themselves & I'd love to see you're results please!

So here's the actual project from Saturday & the Gilding Polishes used here were Mediterranean Blue, Powder Blue, Haybale Citrus Green, Golden Olive, Graphite & Enchanted Gold. 

This was my take on the smaller frame & as you can see I've used it with the pieces running vertically- just to be different because I can! The Gilding Polishes used here were Rich Red, Silver Hessian, Graphite & Golden Olive. The stamps used are from the Woodware Collection from Creative Expressions  & they are FRS650 Vintage Inspiration &FRS043 Eyes. I've also used some die cut branches which were from a Tim Holtz set & some skeleton leaves.

Happy Birthday Babe!

Hi everyone, summer is finally here.... & gone again!! It's been a little while since I did a blog post as I've been away on my hols & boy was it hot in Mallorca while we were there! 
A few days ago it was Mr Frostie's birthday a few days ago so I'm sure he won't mind me giving you a look at the card I made him (minus the soppy sentiment of course!)
The focal point (not that it bears any resemblance to himself I may add he's much happier than that!) was a great stamp kindly given to me by Sarah of Somer Craft Addix when I visited all the lovely folk there for my Stix2 day a few  weeks ago. I masked the chap in the deckchair & then stamped the shed, which was taken from a Hobby Art set  along with the watering can & trees.
 I coloured with pencils & then added some die cuts from Tim Holtz &  Sue Wilson sets plus some wooden shapes. The whole image sits on a cream 8 x 8 card blank & layered up with spotty paper from Craftwork cards, blue & craft card. 

Flowers from Foam

I've just discovered a great product for flower making & I can see it becoming quite addictive. It's called  "foamiran" & it's a very thin foam which can be die cut or even punched. You can then heat it either with an iron or heat tool & scrunch it up to create great shaping for your flowers. It can be coloured with inks or I used Gelatos on a wet  wipe. The heart is MDF & I gave it a coating of Creative Expressions Gilding Polishes.  

Mixed Media Altered Jar

I've been playing with another "Altered Bottle" in preparation for my workshop this coming Saturday, which is all sold out so if you wanted to join us let me know & I may plan another date. 
I began by covering the jar with white Gesso & then when dry I glued a piece of bandage in place twisting it into a swathe as I went. Then I glued paper roses, chain, charms , beads etc. in fact anything which creates interest & texture. When dried I then painted over everything with pink, blue & mint pearly acrylic paint. Finally I added a few pink glass beads for some extra twinkle. 

Sunday School fun with Stix2 Fabric Glue Pen

Just thought I'd share these photos of Littleham Church Sunday School Exmouth hard at work with their fabric project using  the new Stix2 Fabric Glue pen which proved just perfect for the job! The pens were kindly donated by Ruth at Stix2 so a big "Thank You" from all the kids (& big kids!!) who created such great work with them!

Art Journalling- Love, Love ,Love

OK I know I'm a little late for Valentine's day but some scrumptious stamps & mixed media products from IndigoBlu have  recently come into my possession & I just had to have a play! Some of you will know of my recent obsession for my art journal so I decided to put my new goodies to good use. So here's what happened!

The first thing I did was to create the textured border you'll see at the left. I stuck some white tissue paper all over a piece of card using Super Thick Slap it On. When dry I torn off a piece & gave it a coat of black gesso. Leave to dry again & then I just lightly brushed IndigoBlu metallic acrylic "Ruby Slippers". This is quite useful as you have the rest of the tissue piece to treat with other colours & mediums.
For the main background I used Distress inks Barn Door, Dusty Concord & Victorian Velvet. I really soaked this with a spray & let it move around & run before drying off with a heat tool. I then dripped some water onto the ink & blotted out with some kitchen paper.
 Next I stamped IndigoBlu's "Love Is" using a Onyx Black Versafine- gorgeous stamp! Now came the fun part my first play with Flitter Glue & gilding flakes, good thing I paid attention! I was thrilled with the results stamping with  "Heart Flourish"- such great detail & so easy, I thought I was bound to mess it up but no!!   
I masked parts of the sentiment & printed separately which worked out well so all that was left to do then was to add some touches of the "Ruby Slippers" to the stamped image & stick the border in place. The little butterflies, dragonflies & hearts you see were punched from a piece of black card which had a "smear" of the red metallic paint applied. To finish I added some leather flowers which I knew would come in handy when I added them to my stash! I scuffed the edges of the page & aged a bit with some Black Soot Distress ink.   

Here's a closer look at the border

The gorgeous heart stamp

My first attempt at Flitter Glue & gilding flakes- I'm proud of that!

OK I'm done for now ....my art journal is beckoning again!!

Love is in the air

Soon the wedding season will be in full swing again so here's a pretty card to send to the happy couple or indeed for an anniversary, using Stix2 products. I've used a Stix2 A5 ivory card blank & for the panel at the centre I've  die cut a piece of ivory pearl card & then passed it through an embossing folder. The delicate blue edging have been die cut using the beautiful Stix2 Moondust card in baby blue I've placed a piece of double sided polyester ultra sticky sheet under the the die cut aperture before covering with seed beads from the bead & glitter set (you can see all the products I have used in the final photo). The borders at each side are created from the micro beads from the same set with the ultra sticky tape. The 2 ovals which I've used for the sentiment are Stix2 die cuts- very handy as they layer together perfectly.

Art Journal

I've caught the art journalling bug lately & those of you crafty folk who happen to wander onto my blog now & then will know that I'm rather partial to all things of a mixed media vein. So this is a perfect showcase for me & a way of cataloguing all the various techniques I've happened on along the way. Here are a few to be going on with (oh yes there's more!!) & a brief "here's how".

I stuck pieces of book page, lace, ribbon, papers, crochet flower & sheet music to a piece of water colour card. Quick coat of white gesso over all & then when dry sprayed with Glimmer Mists. Dry again & then stamp sentiment & background script.

Take a piece of A4 white card stock & cover with Creative Expressions Gilding Polishes which I've also used to do the stamping. By the way I'll be featuring these for my demo next week at Liberty Craft Exmouth. Then we have a stamped sentiment & some skeleton leaves.

Not being coy but I'm really not sure about about sharing  this one as I drew it myself. It harks back to my days as a hairdressing student when art was part of my course & we were taught the correct way to draw heads & faces. I was quite good at it in those days & even went on to paint a mural on the college salon wall as part of my coursework. Wow that's almost 40 years ago now!! Anyway I thought I'd have another go so this is my first attempt coloured with Gelatos. More practice methinks! 

Valentine's Day

 It only seems like last week we were having Christmas & now it's almost time for Valentine's Day, the next big one on the crafty calendar! I just indulged myself with this new Tim Holtz die set from Sizzix so perfect for Valentines day. I've used one of Stix2 great quality card blanks (white  6 x 6) & red, black & Kraft from their tinted card range. The new 2in1 glue pen was so useful with it's fine nib for applying glue to the intricate die cuts. If you look closely you can see that I've foiled parts of the design & sentiment using Stix2 transfer foils & the glue pen is  handy for this too. Just apply to the parts you want to foil, leave to to go tacky & then apply the transfer foils. I've used Stix2 clear foam pads with black transfer foil at the corners of the design & they make a great embellishment.  

Faux Leather

 Now I know I'm about a million years behind everyone else in the craft world in trying this but I've had everything ready to do it for ages.... just time which has been lacking! I'm talking about the gorgeous faux leather technique which has been around for a while I know but I stumbled across a tutorial by Sheena Douglas a while back & was all fired up to have a go. Here's the link if you want to have a go. 
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sheena+douglass+faux+leather


I made 2 pieces to start off with, a brown piece ( Tea Dye, Vintage Photo & Walnut Stain Distress Inks) & a red piece ( Barn Door, Fired Brick & Walnut Stain). They have both been embossed with folders & sprayed at the end with Crafters Companion spray shine. I've made a holder for my masks with the brown piece but haven't done anything with the red yet- I expect I shall take it out of the drawer from time to time & stroke it for now anyway ! Don't tell me you don't do that too!! Bye for now!  

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright...

 I been meaning to "do" this frame for ages & as I've been on a upcycling roll lately I finally got to it. Now the frame itself, a plain brown card one, has been languishing in a drawer for a while.The beautiful 3D tiger picture was given to me by Mr Frosty for my birthday last year, (he knows how I love tigers!). It's the front of a notebook but it seemed such a shame not to do something more with it hence the frame.

I used a selection of Stix2 products in the transformation of the frame so here's what I did.

Here are the Stix2 products I used.

Firstly I scrunched up some Stix2 tissue paper & stuck it to the frame using Stix2 PVA glue to give texture. I then left this over night to dry.

 Next I gave it a coat of black gesso & left this to dry.

I used the new Stix2 2in1 Glue pen on the texture created by the tissue paper. I applied the glue & then left it to go really tacky (about 1/2 hour) . At this stage it's great to use with Stix2  Transfer Foils in gold, copper & green.

The foliage for the jungle look came from  Sizzix Tim Holtz "Wildflowers" Thinlets die set. I took a piece of plain black card & randomly applied Creative Expressions Metallic Gilding Polish in Citrus Green & Mediterranean Blue & then cut with the dies. The Stix2 glue pen was really great for sticking the flowers in place as it has such a lovely fine nib. 
I mounted the tiger onto Stix2 tinted card in black  & the whole thing was assembled using Stix2 polyester ultra sticky tape.