CHRISTMAS CARDS

I hope you all had a very good Christmas and have recovered from any hangovers or stomach ache from over-eating.

Here are a couple of cards that I designed for Christmas 2013. I had quite a few to make so I wanted a design that was pretty but not to time consuming to put together, but at the same time looked like I'd made an effort.

I stamped and embossed a red card base with snow flakes and gold embossing powder. I die cut a doily from silver mirror card which I overlaid with a square of corrugated card which had been stripped of most of the top layer and then painted with white Gesso. On top of this I added some small strips of cheese cloth around the edges then I  adhered a vintage Xmas photo that I downloaded from the internet. I had distressed the edges of the photo and added a border of Snowtex. Next I added a white Poinsettia flower, a snowflake cut from air dry clay, which had been painted white and glittered. I also added the number 25 die cut from the Tim Holtz Mini Reindeer & 25 Set, which I also painted with Snowtex.

My Second card was created on a green card base which I embossed with Silver & Angel Wings Peacock embossing powder. Again I added the square of painted corrugated card and the cheesecloth. I downloaded the tiny Silent Night music sheet and distressed the edges then added Vintage Photo distress ink. I curled up the corners and adhered it to the corrugated card. This time I added a red poinsettia flower and a reindeer die cut from white card and the number 25 die cut from silver mirror card once again using the Tim Holtz Mini Reindeer & 25 set.

Happy Halloween

I know I'm a day late, but life sometimes gets on top of you and there's no time for crafting.

I'd like to share a Halloween Art Shrine that I was inspired to make by an old project by Linda of LiveArtNow, that I've given a Halloween twist in my own style.

I've constructed the shadow box in the same way that I've shown in previous Shadow Box Stepper Card tutorials ( See my previous posts and  check out my YouTube Channel). I've constructed the box and wings from chipboard covered with Metal Foil tape, then run through  embossing folders. I then painted everything with black acrylic paint and once dry added some Inka Gold guilding wax to give it a metallic look.

The inside of the box is lined with paper from an old collection by DCWV. I've then cut out a web from a piece of Halloween organza that I found in my local Poundland store and adhered it to the sides of the shadow box. I rubbed the white skeleton all over with cream acrylic paint to age his bones and then dyed a piece of cheese cloth with Lindys Stamp gang spray and attached it to the skeleton as his old tattered clothes. A large creepy spider was then adhered to the top of the box.

A large bat was added to the top of the shrine and I added some bronze tones Inka Gold to highlight.

I hope you enjoy my project and look forward to reading your comments.

Mixed Media Canvas

I was inspired to make this canvas by CeeCee from Creations CeeCee on YouTube. She made a beautiful canvas using the same Poppy stencil by Donna Downey Studios and tags. I liked hers so much that I decided to make my own very different version. CeeCee  is an excellent artist and demonstrator for Scrapbookcentrale in Canada. If you don't know of her already you should definitely check out her Channel. 

I  adhered three white tags and their strings, which I placed into various positions onto the canvas, with Claudine Helmuth Studio Matte Multi-medium Gel. I then created the poppies using Artist Spackle modelling paste through a Donna Downey Studios stencil. I used various makes and colours of acrylic paint to colour the background, blending with my fingers. Once this was dry I stenciled through a piece of Punchinella with a sponge dipped into white gesso to add texture with the small white dots. The poppies were painted with Daler & Rowney, System 3, Fluorescent Pink paint, with darker accents added with Crawford & Black Acrylic paint in Rose. For the centers of the poppies I mixed together Artist Spackle and black gesso then added some seed beads to give it texture. I punched out the letters for my words from black card using a Martha Stewart set of Alphabet punches. I then used the remains of the punched out card as a stencil and using black gesso added random letters to various parts of the canvas. Using a Tim Holtz  Stampset "Papillon CMS106 by Stampers Anonymous, I stamped  butterflies onto tissue paper with StaZon black ink. Once dry I tore carefully around the edges of each butterfly and then adhered them to the tags with the Matte Gel medium. I added my letters in the same way to each tag, then gave them all a good coat of Gel Medium over the top,

I was very happy with the outcome.

Altered Box in a Winter Shabby Chic Style

I've been quite busy lately working on a few projects and Id like to share one with you today.

It's an altered heart shaped box which as the weather is turning colder has inspired me to complete it in a winter shabby chic style. I'm not a fan of the cold, but I do like the look of those winter frosty mornings when everything seems to twinkle with it's icy coating.

I used a blank white coloured chipboard box which I painted with dark- brown acrylic paint and left to dry. I then painted on a layer of my favourite Folkart Crackle Medium, then best to leave to dry overnight. The last coat was a cream coloured acrylic paint called Tapioca 903 by Folkart, which you must ensure is painted on thickly in even strokes, all in the same direction,   The crackle effect happened almost instantly. 

I made up some pine cones and roses from coloured card using the Tim Holtz  "Tattered Pinecone" die. I also cut several leaves from this same die in different leafy colours, some leafy flourishes from the Cherry Lynn  "Mini Fanciful Flourish" die in gold,  half a clock face & the hands from the Tim Holtz "Weathered Clock" die, which I painted dark brown. I also used some cheesecloth which I aged with Lindy's stamp gang spray in Creme Brulee Creme and some gold bead sprays from my stash. 

I worked out the positioning of all my pieces and then used hot glue to adhear them all down securely. Once in place I librally coated everything with Snowtex paste by Decoart and sprinkled on some glitter to give it an extra wintery sparkle. 

I  distressed the edges slightly with some Tim Holtz distress ink in Vintage photo, then hot glued some gathered lace and a line of gold Chinese braid to the sides. 

I added a touch of gold Run-n-Buff to the clock hands and Cut out the word "Memories" from designer paper and tucked it into place over the cheese cloth.

                                     

A step-by-step video showing how I created this box.

21ST BIRTHDAY CARDS

I made these cards for my daughters 21st birthday. The first one is in my favourite Shadow Box, Stepper Card style and for the second I have used lot's of Die Cuts.

The Frame is a Sizzix Die "Frame Ornate" backed onto blue card which has been embossed with a Dots embossing folder. The paper line is Bonjour by Kaiser Craft. I've used a few Vintage Trinkets by Prima and flowers from my stash and Wild Orchid Crafts. The Eiffel Tower die is by Dy-Namics and Eylet Circles by Spellbinders. 

I made the banner pieces from card and used letter stickers for the name. I adheared these onto Bakers Twine and then held them in place with mini clothes pegs. I painted the Vintage Trinckets with Gesso and then added some gold Wax Rub for definition.

I added some glitter glue to the flowers 

A bronze metal key to signify the "Key of the Door" and some bling accent swirls

I made the numerals by cutting out the shapes and then adhearing rhinestones to them. I've used a Cherry Lynn diecut behind the flowers

I stamped my sentiment with StayZon Ink and added more Prima Vintage Trinkets

My second card was for her Grandmother to send to her.

I used the Spellbinders Fancy Lattice Die for the background and the butterfly is cut from another Spellbinders background die called Butterfly Magic. I've used the bling mesh to add a trim top and bottom, some tulle trim on the inside edges topped with rhinestone flowers from my stash. I've used the same Cherry Lynn swirl die cut and Wild Orchid Crafts flowers

For the inside I have seemlessly joined two pieces if the Fancy Lattice together then made a mat from glitter paper topped with a white Mat then a Spellbinders diecut and a sentiment topper from my stash. I have used the mini baroque die for the message panel and the Tim Holtz Love die for the other panel.

My You Tube Video

ART JOURNAL PAGE - BLUE

I created this page in memory of a very dear friend who lost her life to depression.

It would have been her 21st birthday and this page is my tribute to her.

I used Dylusion Sprays and Neocolor II Water soluable crayons for the background. The doodles were done with my Faber Castelle PITT Big Brush pen and was inspired by Diane Reaveley. The whimsical portrait is my first attempt at including a face in my art journals. I was very happy with the outcome

My journalling was a quote by Tim Robbins from Jitterbug Perfume. My interpretation is of someone who is becoming disillusioned with life and losing their direction and reason to live.

There is an organisation in the UK called PAPYRUS (Prevention of Young Suicide) that has been set up to try to help young people contemplating suicide and their families. They rely almost entirely on donations. If you feel you'd like to help their cause please visit their website http://www.papyrus-uk.org/donate

Thank You

GATES OF HAPPINESS

Hi everyone,

After my long summer break it's great to be back and crafting again. I really missed it.

Here's another page completed in my small Art Journal that I made from re-cycled Xmas cards. If you're interested to see how I made this journal. Check out my YouTube Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q23m-Q8DaF8

The Quote for this Journal Page is Love is the Master Key that Opens The Gates of Happiness.

I didn't do a step-by-step video for this one but I'll explain my process and the supplies I've used under the pictures.

I really hope you like my page and would be interested to read your comments.

The Background was created using firstly Neocolor II water soluable crayons in a lime green and yellow blended with water. I later added Liquitex Acrylic Ink in the same shades to add more depth to the colour. I used a metal stencil and added the black border using my Faber Castell PITT pen in black.  I used part of the "Art Is" stencil with modelling paste under the gates. Once dry I added some gold Rub-and-Buff wax and then highlighted the words with my Black PITT pen.
THe flowers were found in a gardening magazine and cut out and collaged into place with gel medium. I then doodled on them with white and black pen.

I added Red & Yellow Liquitex \acrylic Paint to Modelling paste to create an orange paste and then used the "Reverse Chicken Wire" stencil to randomly add sections to the page. Once dry I coloured in a few of the wire cells with black ink and then used the same ink to write my quote. I then outlined that with white Posca Paint Pen. 

I added a magazine print of a Venetian mask inside the gate using Matt Gel Medium. I cut one section of the lock so that I was able to thread the lock through the gate so it appeared locked.

The key was cut from chipboard using a sizzix die  - Hardware Findings by Tim Holtz. The heart part of the key came from the Sizzix  Mini Lovestruck die set also from the Tim Holtz range. These were glued together and then I added bead gel, then gold and bronze embossing powder which I heated until it melted and gave an aged rusted look.

My You Tube Video

LIFE IS A BLANK CANVAS.
IT'S UP TO YOU HOW COLOURFUL YOU MAKE IT.

I was inspired to make this art journal page by the packaging from my box of Liquitex paints that I recently purchased. There was a grid pattern of vibrantly coloured squares and rectangles which I decided to cut apart and use them as the basis of my page.

Here are some pictures of the finished page followed by my YouTube video explaining in more detail and including a fast speed step-by-step of how I created it and the products I used.

I wanted to capture a mood of happiness like a carnival with bright vibrant colours.
I  took my lead from the squares of packaging and I used stencils with Liquitex Ink, acrylic paint, Faber Castelle PITT Big Brush Artist Pens, Rubber Stamps and Guilding Flakes to create a kaleidoscope of patterns and textures.

Please watch the video

 

YouTube Hop

Today I'm participating in a YouTube Art Journal/Mixed-Media hop with 6 other talented artists.

Please come along and join in. I've made a step-by step video of how my project was created.

The theme was summer, and we had to incorporate fluorescent paint, so I created this fun canvas
using book paper, modelling paste, tissue paper, a stencil, paper flowers and lots of fluorescent colours.

I was very happy with the outome.

The sun was made using the Mini Mayan Stencil by Balzer Designs at Crafters Workshop and Modelling Paste

The girl was printed onto tissue paper from an image I found on the internet which I added to and adapted to my own requirements. I then glued this onto the canvas and re-coloured it with a black Faber Castelle PITT Artist Pen. 

I used a stampset by Chocolate Baroque for the grass and some smaller random stamps for background detail.

TUTORIAL - Shadow Box Stepper Card

I have just created a video tutorial of how I made the Shadow Box stepper cards shown in my last two posts. I hope you find this useful for your own creations. Let me know if you make one, so I can see.

Take Care

Shadowbox Stepper Card 2 - Traditional Style

Well I've been card making again and this time it was for my Aunts 90th Birthday.

I wanted to make the card in a more traditional style as I know elderly ladies usually prefer this.

I built my card base and shadow box in the same way that I had constructed my previous card but this time used some soft pink patterned paper from my stash. I then added some foiled sentiments to the steps, a spray I put together using flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and some silver mesh bling around the edge of the Shadow Box. I made up a pretty dragon fly from netting, wire and pearls  which I adhered to the side of the box.

I cut the numbers from silver card using my Fiskars Shape cutter and then adhered rhinestones all over them. I then attached them to a circle of the same paper I had used for the shadow box which had been die-cut using the Spellbinders Nestabilites die "Eyelet Circles" I then attached this to a larger circle of silver miri card which was cut using a larger die from the same set.

SHADOW BOX STEPPER CARD

Today I've been making this Shadow Box Stepper card for my step-daughters birthday. It's her Big "30th" so I wanted to make her something special that she could keep for a souvenir.

I constructed the shadow box from the Prima Romance Novel paper, which is one of my favourite paper collections available at the moment. It's so very pretty and yet grungy at the same time. Exactly my style.

I cut the front frame of the box using a Sizzix die called - Frame, Decorative Rectangle.

I cut the actual stepper card from black cardstock and used more of the same Romance Novel paper to line the steps and die cut the doily for the back step.

The numbers were cut from silver miri card using a Fiskars shapecutter. I then stuck all the individual rhinestones onto each number. I used a tiny Typewriter key stamp to add the word
 Birthday to the bottom step.

I added a small white resin bird

I made a paper banner, adheared it onto some bakers twine and added blinged up letters to
spell out HAPPY.  I attached it to the shadow Box frame with tiny pink clothes pegs and I
 outlined the edge of the  box with black flatback trim and added a
 Prima Resin Angel to the inside of the box.

I embellished the card with roses from Wild Orchid Crafts and brushed them all slightly
with Gesso to soften the look. 

I added  a couple of tiny butterfies cut with the Martha Stewart Punch and glued some
 bling to the centres to form their bodies.

I really enjoyed making this card and I'm so happy with how it turned out.

Hand-Crafted Junk Journal/Smash Book

I promised to create a Junk Journal/Smash Book for a friend and here's what I came up with.

The cover is made from a recycled packaging box which I cut down and painted with Gesso.

I made up 4 signatures  for the inside of my book from old  papers from  my stash and junk mail envelopes which I covered with paper and made into pockets and envelopes. I also incorporated a paper bag into the last signature, which I covered in paper and made into two large pockets. I added stamping, charms and some washi tape to a few of the pages and the rest I left for my friend to embellish and personalise  as she wanted.

For the Front  and Back Cover I used a decoupaged napkin for the main design. I added plenty of mesh bling and some flower trim which matched the roses on the napkin. 

As I sewed in the signatures I added beading to the threads on the spine which I think finished off the book perfectly. Three of the beads were word beads which spelled out the recipients name.

If you would like to see my YouTube video about this book, please click below.

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog and my YouTube Channel.

KEY TO MY HEART

Here are some pictures of my latest Art Journal page which I've titled "KEY TO MY HEART".

I know Valentine's Day is gone but I was trying to be a little more free with this page and not plan in advance what I was going to do with it. Once I'd added all the sprays and stencils to the page. It gave me the feel of an opulent boudoir and the feeling of a love affair came into my mind. So I thought of hearts and things to do with love and that's how the page evolved.

I had seen the poem a few weeks ago and I really liked it. I thought of it while I was working and decided to include it on my page. The poem reads:-

Key To My Heart

Author: Nicole C. Moore

Late at night when I'm sound asleep,

Into my heart you softly creep.

I sit and wonder how it could be,

But you must have stumbled across the key.

This key holds the secret to true 

love and more,

So take it now and unlock the door.

And I pray that we will never part,

Now that you have the key 

to my 

heart.

For the background I used Adirondac Colour Wash in Cranberry & Egg Plant. I then over sprayed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Sprays in Rhododendron Rose Red, Rudolph Nose Red,  Ramblin Rose Pink & Cotton Candy Pink. I also used Cosmic Shimmer spray in Antique Rose. I stenciled with Lumiere Paint in Indigo then used my Uniball Signo broad pen in white to doodle around the edges of the stenciled design. I used a piece of bubble wrap to stamp in random places with white gesso, then later I scribbled over these with the white uniball pen.

I began to write the poem with the Uniball pen but it started to disappear into the background. I then decided to paint the whole page with Mod Podge to seal it and then I was able to write the poem again more sucessfully.

I adheared some white lace in two stripes across some of the page. Then diecut 2 sizes of hearts from corrugated card with the X-cut Scalloped Hearts Dies. The larger heart was gessoed then darkened with distress ink in Gathered Twigs and hot glued down across the lace. I stained the edges of the smaller heart with the two colour washes mixed together. I then painted the centre with Lumiere paint in  Super Sparkle and blended it into the colour wash. I tore the heart down the middle when dry and added some eyelets. I then threaded the eyelets with ribbon and tied a box. I hot glued some red lace to the back of the heart around the top edge and added some muslin which I had died pink to the bottom. I then hot glued everything onto the larger heart.

I die-cut a key from chipboard and heat embossed it with copper and then verdigris embossing powder to give it an old and rusty look. I then hot glued this onto the heart.




If you would like to watch my step-by-step video of me working on this page I have added this below.