Sewing Room Assemblage (for Creative Expressions)

I’m glad there’s five Wednesdays in January this year, as it’s given me more time to work on my final project for Creative Expressions using this month’s featured Antique Dressforms stamp set. This sewing room assemblage was fun to put together and features many of my favourite techniques as well as some innovative uses for some of the other CE products. A room-by-room guide follows and a printable worksheet is here. The complete assemblage is available to purchase – contact me for details.

Layered-Paper Rocking Horse

It’s ‘anything goes’ over at The Crafting Cafe this month, and the DT were given the pick of several digistamps from our sponsors The Stamping Boutique. I took on the challenge of this wonderful rocking horse image, and after some digital tracing created this layered paper (160gsm) decoupage sculpture – frame is 9″ square to give you a sense of scale. My Silhouette Cameo is certainly proving itself a useful purchase! There are no lines in sight, so the project relies on shadows to create the relief and sense of depth.

A couple of tips for you – take the glass out of the frame to take photos of your mounted project. I tried to light everything evenly, as normal for my project pics, but of course for this particular project even lighting just ruined it… Uneven light was the key. The first mount I tried was a single layer with equal padding all round – and it looked awful. So I used the picture framing practice of having a deeper section at the bottom and layered the mount as well and think it all works far better 🙂

I hope to develop the technique further and create more original layered paper art.

 

 

Stencilled – Day Two

Day Two of my online class ‘Stenciled’ – guess it’s American… Three more techniques suitable for all stencils. Todays are Tim Holtz’s Splatter, That Special Touch Distressed Checkers and Dreamweaver Trees Silhouette. And todays techniques included stamping, watercolour and coloured pencils.

And todays most important learning point – always mask areas outside the stencil as it’s amazing how far the back edge of a distress ink applicator tool can actually reach…

 

 

Stencilled – Day One

I’m doing another Online Card Class – this time reviewing the different ways of using stencils. None of it is rocket science for me so far, but it’s always good to see what others are doing and to share creative tips, tricks and which mediums work with which. These four cards are my take on Day One tutorials – using a stencil as a patterned background, spritzing though, using for emboss resist techniques and layering with colour. I think all the stencils above are from The Crafters Workshop and are the 6×6″ variety. The cards are 12x12cm. The black text has been cut out as a bespoke design on the Silhouette Cameo.

 

Fancy a book of tangle patterns?

Encouraged by my recent publication, I have spent most of the last three days typesetting a book with all 112 of my tangle patterns in ready for my Zentangle Inspired Art workshop next weekend. I think it’s turned out rather well… which got me to thinking – would anyone else be interested in a copy (especially since several loyal followers have requested such!)?

Here’s a sample page:
As you can see, it’s mainly the information already published on my Tangle Pattern Gallery and blogs, but all in one place with a handy cross reference. The patterns are arranged alphabetically, with a gallery/quick reference at the back. There will be a CD wallet attached to the back cover to keep tiles in, and it will be wire bound so that it lies flat when open, and also will have room within the wire-o to keep your pen handy. It will be A5 in size and printed in full colour, with a total of 66 pages (112 patterns) and stiff glossy cover. Approximate price per copy will be around £5 / $8 / €6, p&p will be additional depending on your location.

I’d like to gauge interest so that I can manage a print run (and/or find a publisher!), so please let me know how many copies you’d be interested in. Please indicate if you’d be interested in an e-version, and if so which reader you use. Thanks for your help!

UPDATE 25-FEB-14:
For those requesting an e-version…
I have a formatted PDF version which is designed to print onto A5 paper and get wire bound as well as being useable on most [colour] devices. This is available for £3.50 and payable through a PayPal – you can pay in your own currency subject to PayPal conversion rate. Due to the low expected volume, I will be processing requests manually in the order in which they come. Once you have paid I will send you a personal link to the file which you can then download. This will be sent to to the email address you use for PayPal. Please do not share the file with anyone else – sharing deprives me of a much-needed income and is against copyright law. Please note that on greyscale screens, e.g. non-colour e-book readers, the formatting means that the book does not show up well.

Click here to purchase the PDF version: 

For Kindle users, I am working on a suitable format – which means I need to start again, so I’ll keep you updated!

 

Hard copy versions:
I’ve done a weigh in and these are the initial hard copy prices (per book) – click on the correct button to purchase your copy.

For UK destinations:
First class: total cost £8.50  Recorded delivery: £9.60 

For US destinations, airmail small packet: total cost US$16 

For all other destinations, please use this link to request your copy/copies – please state your country. I will then send you a PayPal money request by email taking into account the postage costs to your country.

There may be a small delay as I am personally printing and binding the books! If you’d like them personalised, then please pop your request in the email!

Bijou Hexagonal Card (for Creative Expressions)

Back to the bags this week – specifically the Creative Expressions Bijou Bag Singles pack, containing the bag and the sentiment stamps. I decided to quilt the bag just to give a bit of a different appearance and texture. The principle is simple enough to make the card, though it’s not a quick make due to all the fussy cutting! This would also work well to frame some home decor pieces too.

Wedding Mini-Album (for Jones Crafts)

Featuring more of the Bella Celebrate Paperz, this mini-album is constructed from one 12×12″ sheet, two 3×4″ project cards, a couple of 3D stickers and die cuts and lots of memories. It’s a hand bound, three signature booklet with the folio tied into the cover using ribbon. With plenty of room for journaling names, dates and recollections, this mini-album could also be included in a bigger layout. Making info follows the gallery.

Here Comes The Bride (for Jones Crafts)

It’s been quite a while since I did a 12×12″ scrapbook layout… but my recent receipt of the DT goodie box from Jones Crafts has inspired this layout featuring the Bella Celebrate Paperz collection. This is the first of many DT projects in the run up to the Stitches trade show for Jones Crafts. It includes several designs of double sided pearlised 12×12″ sheets, die cut collections, 3×4″ and 2×4″ foiled project cards as well as coordinating organza flower brads and 3D stickers. Read on for making information…

Sewing Room Door Plaque (for Creative Expressions)

Another of my projects featuring Creative Expressions’ Antique Dressform stamp set. This one is sporting a few embellishments that I wouldn’t consider to be my normal style, but the ribbon roses (also from CE) matched the theme perfectly and made a great pin cushion for the various pins I nicked from my quilting stash. No step-by-step photos this week, but there’s still a kit list and instructions for those that want them:

My cards go international

Thank you to Cathi who was lucky enough to actually to be at the Craft & Hobby Association exhibition (big big trade show) in Anaheim, California, this week – she took this photo of my ‘Time Flies’ cards on the CHA UK highlights stand in the Craftworks Cards section. Exciting 🙂

And another pic, courtesy of Julie Hickey, of the Craftworks Cards stand showing off the rest…