Catching Up ! Big Top project for eclectic Paperie

Just wanted to share a picture of  my design team project, I posted over on the eclectic Paperie blog earlier this week. Its a little fold out using Tim's Big Top stamp set. If you want to see the details of how I put this together, hop over to the eP blog with this link. The blog always has a different 'teamy' posting a  project everyday (except Sunday), So you will always find something to inspire. Today is no exception with a gorgeous layout  and video 'how to' by the lovely 'Andiepants'.   Whilst you're there why not check out some of the fabulous work submitted for the ePlay 'Get Stencilling' Challenge. There's still a whole day left if you want to get involved ! I'm going to be travelling north this weekend with my lovely crafty friend Sandy,  to see the wonderful Anna Dabrowska - 'Finnabair' on Sunday.I can't wait to try some of her techniques and see her work at first hand ooooooo! exciting x

Twelve Tags of 2014 - May - 'Sweet Dreams'

Well, with around a week to spare, I have completed my tag for this month's Twelve Tags of 2012 Challenge, hosted by the incredible Mr Tim Holtz. Month after month, he comes up with a new tag to delight and challenge us ever eager crafter's ! This month Tim has asked us to dig out those embellishments we all love to hoard. you can see his gorgeous creation here. I've recently been having a lot of fun with my 'Instant Rust' kit and have quite a stash of rusted bits bobs which occasionally find their way onto a project. The theme for this months tag has presented me with an ideal opportunity to use some of them. I also couldn't resist using the little 'Frozen Charlotte'. I don't have any of those lovely Shadow Press embossing folders that Tim has used, so I've substituted that element, with a Movers and Shapers die cut word. To make it stand out I cut one in black card and slightly offset it before adhering to the back of the die cut patterned paper. I raised it up with dimensional tape to further enhance the shadow effect.

So that's it for May, I wonder what Tim will have in store for June? Mmmmmmm! x

CC3- Challenge 2 . Christmas in May

Time for Compendium of Curiosities Challenge number 2. Linda and her Curiosity Crew have dipped into Tim's Compendium of Curiosities Volume 3 and pulled out a Distress Glitter Challenge. The crew have maxed out on Distress Glitter and come up with some amazing examples. I've been  bit slow on the uptake with Distress Glitter and so far I only have two colours, Pumice Stone and Clear Rock Candy. Pumice Stone is a wonderful vintage silvery grey colour and Clear Rock Candy has the effect of  dusting with sugar. I've used my glitters to create this vintage style Christmas bauble. It's actually one of those clear plastic ones that the makers suggest you fill with a family portrait but it's actually ideal for crafting. After following Tim's instructions for applying Distress Glitter, which you can find on pages 55 and 56 of CC3,  I glittered the inside base with Pumice  Stone DG, and used Clear Rock Candy on the Tattered Pinecones and foliage. I adhered a few vintage pearls and a Santa cut from Tim's Seasonal Collage Papers. To finish off, I used  something called 'Instant Rust' a two part rust paint on the removable top and added a Distress Inked ribbon. Here's a view of the inside..

It's a bit easier  to see without the reflections. Photographing anything shiny for an amateur like me is a difficult task ! I kept trying different lighting, different backgrounds, indoors, outdoors and these are about the best two pics out of the many I took. If you fancy joining in with the Compendium of Curiosities Challenges hosted by Linda over on her Studio L3 blog, grab your copy of Tim's CC Volume 3, click on this link to Linda's blog and go for it ! It's the turn of The Funkie Junkie Boutique to sponsor this fortnight's challenge with a $25 gift certificate. There are also some lovely goodies donated by Tim and Mario for one lucky winner chosen by the crew. Now all I have to do is get hold of some more of these baubles, I reckon if I make one a week, I'll have enough to decorate my Christmas tree in December after all there are only 219 days to go ! x

Artists for #BringBackOurGirls 'Imagine'

Here is a mixed media canvas I am donating to the online auction for the Artists for #BringBackOurGirls campaign. The plight of these 300 kidnapped, young Nigerian women has touched the hearts of people around the world. As the daughter of a Nigerian father, I realise just how lucky and privileged  I am that I have lived my life in a free society with access to education for all regardless of gender, religious belief, nationality or age. Jessica Sporn has been instrumental in mobilising artists to contribute to the cause by donating a piece of work. I haven't had time to generate a new piece so I have chosen this mixed media canvas with a bit of a Steampunk feel, which I produced a while ago. Here are two web addresses where you can find out more information http://girlrising.com/nigeria-action/, and https://www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls please take a little time to have a look. The auction starts on 15th of May and there are some fabulous works which you can view as well as buy  by following this link. Many thanks to Jessica for organizing this event and lets hope and pray that these young women are released and allowed to resume their lives in peace and without fear. x

Just a peek !

It's my turn over on the eclectic Paperie blog, if you'd like to see a little more of this project, why not hop over there and take a closer look. Whilst your there, remember to check out the latest ePlay challenge 'Stencil It'. You'll see some great work by the DT as well as some amazing entries and the good news is that  there's loads of time for you to get your entry in ! Follow this link and I'll look forward to seeing you there ! x

Compendium of Curiosities 3 - Challenge 1- Marbled Distress paint

I was very happy when Linda from Studio L3 announced that she was to host a Compendium Of Curiosities Volume 3 Challenge. It provides an exciting opportunity to get to know the new products and techniques showcased  in Tim's great book. This year, Linda has recruited some fantastic artists to inspire and help us on our way as we work through the book. The challenges are held fotrnightly and there are some brilliant prizes from Tim and Mario and fabulous sponsorship of alternate challenges, by The Funkie Junkie Boutique and Inspiration Emporium.

 The first challenge is all about 'Paint Marbling' with Distress Paints. The Instructions for this technique can be found on page 43 of CC3. I got so carried away with this technique that I ended up with several lovely backgrounds which no doubt will be cropping up in future projects. I used one of them to make this 'thank you' card for my friends at work, who treated me to some theatre vouchers and beautiful flowers for my birthday. I used another of the backgrounds to make this card for my husband's birthday....

So I suggest you grab your copy of CC3, head over to Linda's blog and get involved, it's great fun ! x

New ! May ePlay Challenge - Get Stenciled !

It's the first Thursday in the month and that means it's time for another ePlay Challenge. Erin is our host this month and she is asking us to 'Get Stenciled'! You can see her gorgeous  Journal pages by following the link here. Stencils are so popular right now that many of us are perhaps wondering what we did before they became so widely available! One great thing about the stencils on the market today, is that they are relatively cheap, quite sturdy and there's a massive variety of shapes and patterns which can be used with all kinds of media. I'm still enjoying playing with my Wendy Vecchi 'Stamp - it Stencil - It Build a Blossom' and have created this little notebook. I've done lots of masked stamping and stencilling with Wendy's Archival Inks and added a liberal helping of Distress Ink for that vintage look.

I started off with a piece of manila card and used Distress Stains to create a background. I then stamped on the first three flowers with black Archival Ink.

I then made several flower masks by stamping onto Post It paper and cutting out the flower shapes. I used these to enable me to layer the flowers and leaves. Once everything was stamped out, I overlaid the flower stencil on each individual flower and applied colour with a blending tool. I used the paper masks to protect the flowers I wasn't colouring. Keeping the masks and stencil in place, I stamped over the surface with my chosen background stamps and contrasting ink, before moving onto the next flower. 

I continued in this way until all the flowers and leaves were coloured, using my hot air gun to dry any wet ink before repositioning the stencil and the masks. Once the whole surface was coloured put my stencil back on top of  each of the three whole flowers and applied embossing ink with a clean blending pad, and used clear embossing  powder. I think this has helped to create depth to the stamped layers. Once finished, I adhered the the card to a piece of chipboard using Studio Matte Multi Medium, I made a back cover the same size, and covered it with some left over spotty papers. I deconstructed an old blank sketchbook for the pages and  used my Zutter 'Bind it All' machine to put the book together. The finishing touches are the little, dyed seam binding ribbons, tied onto the spiral binder and last but not least, a couple of stamped tags made by stamping onto shrink plastic and some of the new Tim Holtz metal photo corners applied to the front and back covers. 

 If you would like to 'Get Stenciled' we would love to see your creations. There is a generous $25 gift certificate for Kim's fabulous eclectic Paperie Shop, for one lucky winner. Hop over to the blog by following this link, where you'll find all the challenge details and some wonderfully inspiring projects from the eTeam. you've got a whole month .......so there can be no excuses......get those stencils out ! x

Wendy Vecchi - Studio 490 - Stamp It Stencil It - Build a Blossom	Archival Ink - Jet Black Ink Pad	Wendy Vecchi - Studio 490 Archival Ink - BUNDLE 6 Ink Pads	Claudine Hellmuth Studio-Multi-Medium Matte	Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo
Ranger Heat It Craft Tool	Ranger - Mini Ink Blending Tool	Ranger - Mini Ink Blending Tool Replacement Foam	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder - Clear	VersaMark Stamp Pad