Last Post For 2013!

Hi Everyone

Well here we are at the end of another year - and 2013 certainly seemed to fly by for me!

To round the year of nicely I have been having a play today and created a tag:

I started by covering a white tag with beige textured co-ordinations paper.  Next I randomly applied Snowflake Fresco paint to parts of the tag.  Then using my fingers I added Fresco paint in the following colours: Mermaid, Eggplant, Spanish Mulberry and Rose.

Next I added the stamping using Paperartsy Eclectica Lin Brown 01 stamps - I used Irish Cream Fresco to do the stamping as it goes very well with the co-ordinations paper I used to cover the tag.  I added a double row of random black stitching down the left hand side of the tag - leaving the ends of the threads loose (I totally underestimated how long that would take!!)  I edged the tag with Black Soot distress ink and smudged it around a bit with my finger then added an eyelet to the top using my crop-o-dile.

I took a couple of Prima canvas resist swirls and coloured them using distress markers in Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers, Seedless Preserves and Picked Raspberry, smudged some black stabilio all pencil around the edges so they stood out from the background and added these to my tag.  The word *WISH* is from some grunge board letters - I painted them with a couple of coats of Snowflake Fresco paint and then rubbed Glamour Dust into the paint so they are all pretty and sparkly.  I added the letters to the tag also and then added a few black gems here and there.  Finally a turquoise organza ribbon was tied in a bow at the top!

I would like to enter my tag in the Sunday Stamper challenge week 288 over at Hels blog HERE

I would also like to enter it over at the Pan Pastel challenge - Anything Goes Week 52 - HERE

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope everyone has a lovely NYE and all the best for a crafty 2014!!

Claire x

Paperartsy - Sanded Foundations

Hello Everyone

This week over on the Paperartsy blog Leandra is sharing various Christmas Cracker videos demoing different techniques to try using their products.

Today I had a go at the first Christmas Cracker - Sanded Foundations - to see Leandra's creation and the video of how she created it click here

Here is my project:

I used a 6x6 piece of white mountboard as the base for my project and coloured the background using mermaid and pumpkin soup fresco paints.  Next I used the poppies stencil by That Special Touch, I masked off a few poppies as I didn't want the very tall ones.  I then mixed up four different grunge paste/fresco paint mixes.  Mix 1: claret, blood orange and french roast.  Mix 2: london bus, smoked paprika and french roast.  Mix 3: green olives.  Mix 4: hyde park.  I used mix 1 and 2 to colour the poppy heads then used mixes 3 and 4 for the stems and leaves.  

Once dry I sanded the grunge paste mix back, but not too much so it still stands out from the background.

Next I stamped the leaves from Lin Brown 01 along the top of the mountboard using fresco paint in tinned peas and then a few had a little bit of the pumpkin soup mixed in to correspond to the pumpkin soup used in the background along the bottom of the piece.

Finally I stamped the sentiment from Lin Brown 01 onto crunchy waxed craft paper, heat set and tore the edges.  I then scrunched it up and highlighted the torn edges with white fire treasure gold. I curled one end and then added it to the mountboard.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Claire x

Dictionary Challenge - B, X, I and the finished cover!

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I shared any dictionary pages for The Craft Barn Blog - unfortunately I simply didn't have time to do them with everything else that has been going on.  I am really sad about this and am determined to finish all my pages - I only have 7 letters left so it isn't a huge ask at all.  So today I will show you what I have been doing with my dictionary this week while I have been off work for Xmas :)

First of all I missed the letter B so here is the page I created using the word butterfly:

I created this using distress inks on the background (tumbled glass, salty ocean, shabby shutters and pine needles) then used stamps from the JOFY range by Paperartsy and coloured with promarkers.

Next up is X - not much choice in my dictionary so I went with Xmas:

The background was again created with distress inks (evergreen bough, pine needles, salty ocean and seedless preserves) I then used the silhouette stamps by visible image, stamped in black versafine.  I added the snow and while highlights on the trees with a white posca marker pen.

Last but not least is I - I chose to use the word ink as it's very appropriate for me!

This was a very simple page to create.  I took various types of inks I had on my desk and added them to the pages!  So I used the ink splotches stamps from Inkylicious with various colours of distress, versafine, adirondak, and memento.  Then I used a few of the Dylusions ink sprays to flick some ink at the pages too.  I drew a border around the definition just so it was a bit easier to spot amongst all that ink!

Now finally onto the cover......this is something I've never attempted before - but I have to say I loved doing it and will definitely be doing this again at some point!  

I took a paper pad of Webster's pages and chose five or six different pages from it, I then tore them up and added them in a patchwork fashion to the dictionary cover using multi medium.  I then added some letter stickers from my stash to create the title then sealed the whole thing with a good coat of the matte multi medium again.  To finish off I added a few bits and pieces of different washi tapes.  I really love how this turned out - hard to believe it used to just be a boring old navy dictionary!

So I love how my dictionary now looks - just have to finish off the last few letters and then it will be complete :)

Looking forward to the new challenge The Craft Barn will be setting in 2014 - had a tiny hint so far but I haven't a clue what it will be!

Thanks for stopping by,

Claire x

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve!  Hopefully tonight the fella in the red suit will be coming down all our chimneys and leaving lots of lovely gifts.

Here is a card from me to everyone who has read and commented on my blog throughout 2013 - thank you all for your support and kind words!

Merry Christmas to you all and best wishes for 2014!

Claire x

The Crafting Cafe - December Sketch Challenge

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by today.  Here is my DT project for The Crafting Cafe where we had to choose one of four sketches to work with:

I chose to use sketch #1 for my card.  I started by taking a piece of cream linen cardstock and using a very large background stamp by Papermania - I used Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo on the background stamp.  I used the holly bough stamp also from Papermania over the background for additional interest.  I cut a rectangle of the same card and stamped the sentiment with Vintage Photo, I added a couple of different snowflake stamps - some were first generation Tea Dye and a few were second generation stamping.  Next I pierced all around the edge of the background piece and added faux stitching with a gold pen.  I distressed the edges of both elements using the edge of a pair of scissors then used Vintage Photo to frame.  I took a large paintbrush and very gently dusted Treasure Gold gilding wax all over both pieces of cards - this gives the card  lovely golden shimmer (which was really difficult to catch in the photos!)

I mounted my two panels onto a piece of dark brown linen cardstock, then added this to a cream 7x7 card blank.  Finally I added three golden pearly gems as a finishing touch.

I would also like to enter my card in the following challenges:

• Our Creative Corner - A Very Vintage Christmas - use neutral colours only
• Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Last Minute Christmas
• Pan Pastel Challenge Blog - All about paper/card
• Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas

Thanks for stopping by today,
Claire x

Graphic 45 Tando Arched Frame for Snazzy's

Hello Everyone

Today over on the Snazzy's Design Team Blog I am sharing a Tando Layered Arched Frame altered with Fresco Paints and the Twelve Days of Christmas collection from Graphic 45.

Here is a little peek for you......

For all the detail on how I created my frame hop on over *HERE* to visit the Snazzy's blog and also check out what the other DT members have been up to with this kit :)

Thanks for stopping by today, 

Claire x

First DT Project for Snazzy's

Hi Everyone

Today over on the Snazzy DT Blog I am sharing my very first project!  

Here is a little snippet: 

Please do pop over to the Snazzy DT Blog *HERE* to see the project in full.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Claire x