Blog Candy Alert

Hop over to Debbies blog http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/ you just WON'T BELIEVE what she's giving away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sue x

Something old, something new.........

Something old...........................
This is an old sample I made when I had the shop, but it went down well at my class yesterday. I remember when I designed the card, I had all the little elements made, but could I hell as like decide on the layout. I gave it up as a bad job, but the next day saw it again and it just happened! It's odd how sometimes we lose it!


Made a couple of realy quick cards using Tracey's rose technique. Sample one,

and sample two.

And finally, da da!!!!!!!!

Would you believe a scrapbook page, inspired by a layout in a magazine. It's my lovely Mum in her twenties. (I just LOVE old photo's).

I have been working on another page, but am finding it hard, I'll show it when it's finished.

Sue x

Tracey's 'rose technique'

Maisie Moonshine, this is especially for you, lol.

Tracey showed us the technique for these 'paper roses' at the scrapbooking class last Saturday, I love 'em!

They are so quick and easy to make, so here goes.......

One some two sided paper, draw three circles, decreasing in size. We used the inside of a tape reel and two sizes of stampbord.

Tear the circles just inside the pencil lines. Tearing towards you will give a nice white edge, which could always be chalked to make the edges more subtle. The floral circle shows the back of the paper, without the white edge.

Scrunch the cirles up tightly, but be careful not to tear them. This gives a nice distressed look and adds some dimension, rather than the flowers being 'flat'.

Upen the circles up, simply stack on top of one another, and decide on your centre.

I just added a brad, but you can use what ever you like.

How quick are they???????

Thanks Tracey, you never know, I might even get to use it tomorrow.

Sue x

Completed Paper Artsy Mini Book

These are a few of the bits I added to the book. Slide mounts, stamped images etc. It's quite hard to show, but here's the completed book, opened.

The rest of the photos show closer views of the pages.

Still need to finish the cover though.............................

Sue xxx

Paper Artsy Revisited

I'm not kidding you, it's absolutely 'yonks' since I played around with my Paper Artsy stamps. I've been a bit shall I say 'tame' with my creations of late, and yeah, a change is as good as a rest, but have I enjoyed gettin into the grunge again? You bet!!!!!!!!! I decided to make a mini book fold out of a sheet of music. It needed 'roughing up a bit', so I rubbed Distress inks randomly, then spritzed, ironed it dry, stippled, splodged, blobbed. smooshed, wet, dried................... you know me, just 'whacked it on' until I got the desired effect.

I re ironed, and left it a while to dry completely, then cut and folded the book, which ended up just 6cm x 9cm in size. Thought I'd mention the size as it's hard to tell with photo's. I'll hopefully have the finished book to post tonight................

Below is my take on the pages we did on Tracey's class at Running With Scissors yesterday. I love my couple of hours at the class each week. It is a way to ensure I get some pages into my album. I messed up this week, but just played about with the bits I had and enjoyed coming up with this.


My dear Dad, bless him, would have said, 'It's the same, but different'. (Funny how we remember these little sayings). I loved the technique for making the 'flowers', I will be using these again. Be back soon!!!!!
Sue x

Engrosed

Iv'e had three 'new additions' to my Wednesday morning class at Running With Scissors recently. Ann, Annette and Julie have joined my cheerful 'Crafting Buddies' and seem to be haaving fun!

Then again, looking at Julie above and Annette below, they seem too engrossed with their project to do anything other than concentrate!

Oh the joys of crafting eh?

Sue x

Concertina Book Tutorial

This was the mini book I taught in class today. It's real easy to do so thought I'd share the technique as a tutorial for you to share. Obviously you can vary the decorating and colours to fit in with what you need, but in just two hours class time it needs to be simple. Here we go...........

Cut ten pieces of white card stock to 7cm x 14cm. Choose three colours of ink, I used memento dye ink pads as they are subtle colours and quick drying. On five of the pieces of card, stamp random backgrounds using the two palest colours as below. Don't forget to stamp over the edge of the card and not just in the middle.

Repeat this on the remaining five pieces of card, but in addition, use the darkest colour ink pad to stamp additional images as below.

Take the five pices of card with the dark images and fold in half with the pattern on the outside.

Then fold the outer edges to the centre to change it from a 'V' shape to a 'W' as below.

You will now need to make a heart template. Cut a piece of scrap paper to 7cm x 7cm and fold in half. Draw half a heart on the edge of the fold. You can use any shape, but a heart is quick and easy to do.

Cut the shape out and use it as a template on the five 'W' pieces, as below and cot around to create an open heart in the centre of each 'W' pages. (Hope I've not lost you yet!).

Below is how the five pages should look.

On the five remaining pieces of card, which should just have two pale colours on, use the dark ink again and stamp sentiments centrally, these wil be seen through the heart cut out.

Now it's time to put the book together. Take one card with a heart cut out and stick it, edges only onto the front of the card with the sentiment on. You will end up with five 'pages' looking like this..................

Here's a view from the top to hopefully make it a bit clearer.

When you have stuck all five, line the pages up, three in the front and two at the back as shown here.

This bits a bit tricky to explain, but stick the cards back to back in this position to make a row.

All that's left to do now is add tha covers and ribbon ties. To do this cut two 7.5cm x 7.5cm squares and decorate. Cut two pieces of ribbon about 18" in length, and fix centrally across the inside of the covers. Then add the covers to the book - finished!!!!!!!! Hope I've explained it OK, if not leave a question in the message bar and I'll do my best to help.

Above and below is the book from the front and back.

If you have a go, let me know how it turns out.

Sue x

ATC's and dare I say 'cute' cards?

I can't believe how long it is since I've made an ATC. Sam hosts a swap for UK Stampers, so I thought, now I've not got the business to think about, I'd have a go. The theme was 'black and white'. For this one I used encaustic wax background, heat embossing (scratched the word Art into it before melting) and thread................................ The background for this one was Jo Sonja Texture paste, painted, dry brushed, overstamped and doodled. I added a slither of cuttlebug embossing and shrink plastic sentiment.

Finally, simplicity with a scrapbook paper off cut, punces, stamping, doodling and liquid pearls.

Finally, my efforts with water colour technique using distress inks.................................

Very, dare I say, 'cute'?

I think it must be the prospect of our first grandchild in July that's sendding me a bit 'soft', well that's my excuse anyway. Ignore the next photo, I added it twice and don't know how to get rid of it, sorry..............................

Well that's it for today. Be back soon.

Sue x

Catch up and Altered Love Heart Plaque

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. As many of you know, we have had a bit going on with the tragic loss of Abbies boyfriend Ash. It was the funeral on Wednesday, and a the huge amount of people who attended was astounding. It seems odd to say, but the service by Olga Short was beautiful. It was not a religious ceremony, no prayers or hymnns, but intead, tributes by his brothers, recorded songs, 'I'll Be There' sang by Jo, Ash's Mum, and Coldplays Yellow by Abbie. It was a very sad and emotional day for everyone, but truly a credit to Ash, a lovely young man who we will miss so much..............................

About three weeks ago I spotted a love heart 'nic nac' in Sainsbury's, perfect for altering, and have finally got round to doing it. Here's the result.

A bit of a closer look, quite simple, using black and gold as the colour scheme.

Sam and Polly have also altered a heart, as soon as they have them posted on their blogs I will try to post a link. It's always realy interesting to see how others work on the same 'piece'. I reckon Polly will be quite vintage and Sam's will probably be pink and girly, lol, obviously, for those of you who know Sam, it will be far from it, lol.

I've been making some ATC's for a swap Sam's hosting. It's absolutely AGES since I made an ATC, but it's been fun. I'll probably put them on tomorrow, until then, see ya!

Sue x

Serendipity Tile Frame

I had this little frame hanging around, and was pleased to find it was the perfect size to house five of my serendipity tiles. I added texture paste to the frame to add a bit of interest and painted it black with Jo Sonja acrylic paint. Not the cheapest but they cover brilliantly.

I matted each tile onto black and edged with silver wax rubs, then added them inside the frame.

This technique is a great way to use up loads of oddments of lace, gems, flowers, buttons etc. I simply used wax rubs over the texture paste, although you can't really see the full effect on this Photo. They are only about £4 for a seven colour pallette from Running With Scissors, are so easy to use on lots of surfaces and last for absolutely ages.

Sue x

Bling-kin eck!

Here's the first creation using the serendipity technique from the previous post................


The collage was simply cut into squares, mixed up and embellished with oddments of ribbon, lace, flowers, gems buttons etc, and mounted. Have a go, it's dead easy.

Just finished my scrapbook pages from todays class at Running With Scissors, I am doing well in the fact I always complete the pages before the next class. I just don't want to end up witha load of unfinished stuff. I love the classes, it's great to have something to look forward to each Saturday morning!!!!!

Sue x

Serendipity 'Inchies'

This is the pile of 'inchies' (well 'inchandaquarteries' to be precise, lol) that I am in the throws of embellishing. Hope to get them finished later today and on a card, time permitting!

I just love clatting about with little bits and pieces. They tend to look nothing in the beginnning, but with 'a bit of this and a bit of that' often turn out really 'pretty' - woah, did I just swear??????????
Catch you all later.
Sue x

'Serendipity Collage Tutorial

This is the serendipity background technique I taught for the vintage cards we made in last Wednesday's class.

Firstly, stick ripped pieces of text, sheet music, paper doyleys etc onto an A4 sheet of paper. Add the collage pieces randomly, overlapping the edges. Allow to dry then cover with a wash of paint, blending a few colours together. I used a 'Pearlex Pallette'.

Add some stamped images in co-ordinating colours, again in a random fashion.

You can then decide which areas of the sheet you want to use. The photo below shows the left over sheets from the 'chippies'. These make ideal templates to draw around, then cut out. At only 99p they are a 'bloody bargain' if ever I saw one!!!!!! (oops sorry, I have to spoil it, lol)

Seriously though they are A4 size and real nice quality chipboard shapes. The templates can be used over and over again.

You can also make templates free hand like the heart above, then move it around on the sheet until you are happy with what you see inside the template. Then simply draw inside it and cut out. Cut as many shapes as you need. Another way of using the sheet is by simply cutting it into squares of a set size, then jumbling them all up and rearranging them on a contrating background.

As you can see you get loads from a sheet. I'll try and get a few samples made with them soon so keep a look out. If there is anything I've not explained clearly, let me know, I'll gladly try to help. Thanks for looking.

Sue x