Christmas Robin

Hello all...

Well, we're almost at the end of December and I hope you had a lovely festive season and managed to get some crafting done in between all the festivities and maybe use some lovely new craft products that you may have been gifted. 

I didn't manage too much crafting myself, as the dining table where I craft, has been cleared for Christmas until New Year. I didn't realise just how much I miss having that workspace to go to, to create, whenever I want.

Here's my second DT project for Country View Crafts for December, creating a little scene in my journal (which I want to start using more), although this also could be made as a Christmas card. 

I wanted to ‘embrace the white space’ which I rarely do, so this only has a pop of colour. 

I hope this will inspire you to try this out too if you usually fill your work with colour - I guess this could also be called a CAS (Clean And Simple). I think it's quite effective.

 

On their Facebook page, Country View Crafts have a December challenge - with the theme 'Christmas' - and the challenge ends on the 31st December 2023, so there's still time to enter to win a £25 gift voucher for the randomly selected winner of the challenge, to spend on the Country View Crafts Website here https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/.

You can enter up to 5 different Christmas themed projects.

Follow the link here to enter on their Facebook challenge page - Country View Crafts and Challenges: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164920247712393 

So, how did I make this page....

 

The products used in this make are:

 

 

In my journal using Distress Ink Pumice Stone, that I'd dabbed onto my craft mat and watered down, I lightly splattered it with a brush, trying to keep it mostly in the middle. I kept a sheet of paper on the journal page on the right as I didn't want it to get anything on it.

I then lightly hand pressed the word stamp from Visible Image Distressed Christmas in two areas overlapping the splatter.

 

I decided it needed a sentiment, so I used the one from Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Jolly Holiday CMS 474.

 

I stamped the Visible Image Christmas Robin with Archival Ink onto a good piece of cardstock.

And then painted with the Tim Holtz Distress Watercolour Pencils.

After fussy cutting out the images, I laid them onto where I wanted them on the page.

I cut the Robin's legs off during fussy cutting (purposely) and  stamped him onto the page before gluing on the fussy cut one. The watercolour journal has got an uneven surface so I had to draw in the legs as they didn't get a clear print.

 

 I cut out the cluster of the three berries and raised them with some 3D foam on top of the others, and then added a few dots of Glossy Accents to the Robin's eye, beak, leaves and berries. I also went over some of the black lines on the main images with a fineliner pen to make them a bit darker.

 

And here is the outcome....

I like the simplicity of this and think it'll make a great Christmas card for next year.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope I've inspired you with a new Christmas card idea to get ahead for next year and also to join in the challenge ending this December to win the fabulous £25 voucher.

Here's wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year.

 

Happy Crafting as always.

See you next year,

Carol xx

The products and brands used for this:

 

Dina Wakley Products

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/dina-wakley-641-c.asp

Tim Holtz Distress inks and watercolour pencils

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-watercolor-pencils-1598-c.asp

 

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger---tim-holtz---distress-oxide-ink-pad---pumice-stone-96663-p.asp

Versafine ink pad

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/versafine---clair-ink-pad---morning-mist-116918-p.asp

Archival ink pad

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger-archival-ink-pad-jet-black---90mm-x-62mm-1609-p.asp

Visible Image

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/visible-image-1095-c.asp

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-stamps-by-stampers-anonymous-193-c.asp

Glossy accents

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger-inkssentials-glossy-accents-59ml-2-fl-oz-4799-p.asp

Quick and Easy Christmas Card

Hello, 

It's almost Christmas and time for my first December DT project for Country View Crafts to inspire you to make something Christmassy and enter their December Challenge on Facebook which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1625820124831250&type=3 

The prize this month is a fabulous £25 voucher to spend at the Country View Craft online store so you won't want to miss out on this.

I thought I'd make a quick and easy Christmas card for when you know you're running out of time to make anything too complex.

So without further ado, here's the instructions on how to make this.

First, I cut a piece of watercolour card to 4 x 4 inch to form the base.

I dabbed the Distress Inks onto my craft mat, spritzed with water and then dabbed it onto Speckled Egg all over first, then Salvaged Patina towards the top and then Prize Ribbon above that.

Then I stamped the large snowflake in one corner with Distress Ink Pumice Stone, and then in the opposite corner with Distress Ink Tumbled Glass.

I then stamped the sentiment Let it Snow from the same Visible Image set as the snowflake, in the bottom right hand corner.

With the stamping completed, I mounted it first onto black cardstock (leaving only a small edge), and then mounted this onto Kraft cardstock that is 11inch width x 5.5inch height and then folded, to form the card.

I added a small wooden snowflake to the centre of the top right stamped snowflake and then added a little blue gemstone to the centre, but if you haven't got a wooden snowflake, you can always cut from one from a die and use that. And here you have it! 

You can turn out multiples of these in no time, by using a stamping platform and rotating the watercolour paper to reflect the two snowflakes in the two corners.

 I hope this inspires you to get making some Christmas cards/tags when you think you really don't have much time. 

Wishing you a fabulous Crafting Christmastime.

Products used for this card are:

Visible Image Let it Snow stamps
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/visible-image-clear-stamp-set---let-it-snow-152392-p.asp

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Inks:
Salvaged Patina
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger---tim-holtz---distress-ink-pad---salvaged-patina-134123-p.asp

Speckled Egg
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger---tim-holtz---distress-ink-pad---speckled-egg-121192-p.asp

Prize Ribbon
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger---tim-holtz---july-2021-release---distress-ink-pad-prize-ribbon-136375-p.asp

Pumice Stone
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger---tim-holtz---distress-oxide-ink-pad---pumice-stone-96663-p.asp

Tumbled Glass
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/ranger-tim-holtz-distress-ink-pad---tumbled-glass-3052-p.asp

Gemstone (cut out from design)
https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/basic-grey-bling-it-designer-rhinestones-tree---sky-3742-p.asp

Wooden snowflake from my stash.

 

Hello,

 

Today is my second DTM project for Country View Crafts and the challenge for November - Repurpose/Upcycle something. 

 

I decided to try something I’d watched on YouTube (tutorial by Treasure Books) and put my own slant on it - it’s making faux rice paper.

I assembled the bits I would need for my project:

Plunger coffee, Stamps, Napkin, Glue and Collage Paper, as well as a brush and backing sheet.

 

First I separated the napkin layers (peel apart a 2 or 3 ply napkin into separate layers),and keep a plain white one aside.

 

Using a napkin backing piece, I stamped over Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Sketched Leaves CMS467, and Urban Elements CMS398 on another one, in Archival Black Ink. 

 

 

I secured a piece of freezer bag to my work surface (plastic bag and craft mat will also be OK to use but DO NOT use Baking Paper - it will stick!). Then using a PVA glue and coffee mix (2/3 glue to 1/3 coffee or water ratio), I brushed this beneath and then on top of the napkin to coat it.  (You could also use beetroot juice after cooking, if you wanted a reddish tinge too.)

 

 

It was a nice dry day so I hung them outside to dry.

 

Once dry, I carefully peeled them away from the backing - the side that was on the plastic has a shiny look, whereas the upper side is matt. It has a crisp like texture and is also fairly see through.

 

 Here is a stamped one and the second ply part of a patterned napkin (so it's not full strength colour).

 

 

 

I decided to try some with an ombre dye ink pad - one was coated with just the PVA/coffee mix, and I coated another one with coffee grounds added too. All looked good until I hung them to dry, it ran - but I still used it and stamped on top of the accidental mishap afterwards with black Archival. Note to self - MUST use Archival/waterproof ink for this. 

 

I thought it would be nice to put it in a card with a cut out, so you can see the light through it and how 'transparent' it is. I assembled a die cut and a sentiment to add to it too.

 

 

Here are the finished cards - two have been made with a stamped on napkin piece and the other is Botanical Collage Paper by Tim Holtz Idea-ology. They're 4x4 inch cards and I glued the 'faux rice paper' to the inside of the card but you could also make a 3 fold card to cover the edges where it's glued inside, or you could use washi tape around them if you didn't want to see the edges.

 

This photo was taken with the light showing through.

With the range of stamps available to you, you can create a whole host of different design 'faux rice paper', suited to your needs. You can of course use the patterned napkin for this also. I also tried it with the Tim Holtz Collage paper which worked a treat too. 

I also used Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text Christmas CMS424 and Noteworthy CMS446 to add a word(mounted on black card and raised with 3D foam), on top of a die cut from Tim Holtz Sizzix 661597 Holiday Greens Mini.

You don't have to just make cards with your 'paper', you can use it as collage for mixed media projects too.

 

It may seem like it's quite complex and time consuming to do, but it really isn't. The longest part is waiting for them to dry.

I really hope that you will be inspired by my make to have a go at the repurpose/upcycle challenge. Take a look at it now being hosted on Facebook here.  There is an amazing prize that one randomly selected winner will win! It's a Stamperia mould and retails at £19.99

 

Products used can be found on Country View Crafts 

https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk

Easy Concertina Book

Hello,

I hope you're well. 

I have some exciting news for you...
I've been asked to be a Design Team Member for Country View Crafts store (in the UK) and to say I am chuffed, is an understatement. My first time on a DTM, so I am very excited to be part of the Team.

This is my first project for their November  Challenge on their page 'Country View Crafts and Challenges ' on Facebook- and it is 'Repurpose Something'. 

Here's a link to their page with all the details on how to enter. Country View Crafts And Challenges and there is an awesome prize to win. You can also find Tim's products on their website https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/

Today I have a simple little book for you to make, that you could use your own photos in, or follow as I've done here, using the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Photomatic pack.

This cute little book is quite thin in size, so could easily be posted by Large Letter Mail (UK) as a nice little gift for someone.

I don't know about you, but I tend to hoard Amazon cardboard envelopes that the smaller parcels come in, with the intent to reuse them somehow, some time.

I decided to 'Repurpose' one of these to make my little book with. You should be able to get about 4 of these books out of one envelope if you use my specifications, but it'll depend on the size of the inserts that you use. If you wish the book to be longer, cut out and glue two concertina bases together, by overlapping a page at each end.

Peel off the labels carefully first.

Cut the sides and top edges off, and the middle one too.

The width across the envelope once cut and prepped is around 12.5 inches. 

I gauged it at 3" per 'page' because when you fold it, you lose a little off the width. So for this, I made it also 3" in height, making the book 3x3" as my 'photos' were the right size to fit it. You may wish to make yours taller, but the book will be thinner in width as compared to the height.

I also cut out some white card squares, measuring 2 3/4" 

I then folded my cut piece in half - I didn't measure it as I knew roughly what it would be, and then I folded one edge to the middle and then the other side to the middle too, to givce you this concertina look. Make sure to use the plain part (inside) of the Amazon envelope for your main side. Keep the side with their logo and markings underneath.

Adding Ranger Distress Inks Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso to my craft mat and spritizing with water, I dabbed the white squares randomly into the inks. I also scrunched some leftover ribbon into it too. I then used Ground Espresso with a blending tool to go around the edges.

I started to layout how I wanted it to be. I also stamped some type from Stampers Anonymous Faded Type CMS397 onto the inked squares.

And for the extra 'Repurpose' components, I removed some used postage stamps from their backing (by soaking in warm water) and once dry, I then blended over some Ranger Distress Vintage Photo ink to make them look older.

And finally I found some ephemera from Idea-ology Field Notes Snippets, just a few bits to add in.

I heavily inked around the front cover edges and added a panel to each one.

Then I added the panels to the inside of the concertina pages and lightly inked the edges of the pages.

I glued the ribbon to the back of the inside pages and then I glued these together so that you wouldn't see any 'Amazon' markings.

I then assembled my 'photos' and ephemera and glued them down once happy.

The book does not open out as a concertina like when it was first constructed, as I had glued the inside middle pages together so that you couldn't see the Amazon markings, so this one opens like a book.

For the final touch I added the words 'We are family' from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Chit Chat Sticker book - I mounted these onto black card and lighly inked the edges with Range Distress Ink Black Soot.

Wrap around the ribbon and tie a bow to complete the look.

I hope you like my little 'Repurposed' Easy Concertina Book. Of course, you can use any backing you'd like for this, but this is just another way to reuse something that you may not have thought of using.

 Take care and thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes,
Carol

Tim Holtz TV Challenge - Idea-ology

 Hello 

Over on the Tim Holtz Addicts Facebook page for the past few weeks, Tim has been having a TV Challenge - go to Youtube, pick one of his videos of his chosen subject for the challenge, and make something that inspires you from it.

Well, this week is all about his line from Idea-ology. I have a few bits of this but often forget to use it, so this was a good challenge for me to do.

So, I watched the video from the Idea-ology Collection 2022  release and was very inspired by the cards that Cheiron Brandon, one of Tim's Design Team made, to make some of my own. 

Tim Holtz Products used:

Ranger Distress Ink Ground Espresso and Rusty Hinge

Various Distress crayons 

Idea-ology marbled design tape; paper dolls portraits; transparent layers; Halloween droplets; label stickers; Halloween ephemera pack; paper stash Wallflower 

#timtvideaology

https://www.youtube.com/live/InO0kvGabOs?feature=share

 

Instagram

https://instagram.com/crafty_adventurista?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Here’s two that I made and I aim to make more and put them together to form a little book, or else they could just be used as cards.

Here's the process I used to make the card with the young lady...

First, I went through my stash and gathered all the bits together that I decided I was going to use.

I cut out the backing card out of Kraft card, rounded the corners and then distressed the edges with some Ground Espresso and Rusty Hinge Distress Inks.

I cut out the background paper from the Wallflower Paper Stash pad, with Tim's Deckle Trimmer from Tonic, and then I coloured parts the lady with Distress Crayons.

I added some Marbled Design Tape to the bottom before sticking on the background paper and design

From there, it was a matter of compiling the elements. To the background paper I added the transparency, then layered the young lady on top.

I attached the Halloween Droplets to the four corners, added a cut down piece from the Halloween Ephemera pack above the transparency (as the words were cut off and it looked odd to me), and fixed the owl with some foam tape to raise it up.

The label words 'In My Heart' were added to a piece of black card and then attached with black foam tape to raise it up too.

For the young man's photo, I put him behind the transparency but everything was compiled the same.

So there you have it, my Idea-ology make in the style of cards/book pages.

Comic Strip Storyline Tutorial

 Hello,

So, I'm currently participating in the 100 day project and my last 20 days of the project are using Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Crazy Birds, Crazy Cats and Crazy Dogs stamps.

I'm creating an ATC a day and making it into a comic strip type of storyline.
The story is basically, everyone lives in a land called Crazydom and it's how they all get along living together. It's not always in harmony it seems.

Day 94 of the 100 Day Project is using this storyline
"Mindy is well known for her voracious appetite but she’s not flavour of the month in Crazydom, having eaten all of the other Crazy Cat’s and Dog’s dinners! Oops! And she’s not feeling too good now either."

Tim Holtz products used for this ATC are:
Stampers Anonymous Crazy Dogs CMS271 and Mini Crazy Cats and Dogs CMS272
Ranger Distress Ink Seedless Preserves and Chopped Sapphire
Ranger Distress Watercolours - various - to colour the images 

I create a 'story' for the day by looking at the stamps and sometimes various sayings from Idea-ology Small Talk Snarky, and then I run with it.

Here's my process for Day 94...

 

Mask the edges around the watercolour ATC card and do a wash using Distress Ink colour of choice.

Once you have done your wash, choose the same colour, or two colours to splatter over.

 

Outline your wash area with black pen - I used a Uniball pen.

 

 

Stamp out your images using Archival Ink. This is waterproof as I'll be using Distress Watercolour pencils to colour them in.

Colour in images with Distress Watercolour Pencils.

Fussy cut out the images or use the coordinating dies if you have them.

Gather all your components ready to lay out on your ATC. I've printed out the Caption 'Food Glorious Food' from my computer. Sometimes it's a bit of trial and error to make it all fit.

As you can see, my first Caption layout in one line, wasn't going to fit, so I printed it again to make it fit this time. Layout your images where they seem best suited and glue down.

 

Outline the Caption at top left with your black pen.

Add some Glossy Accents to the eyes and nose. I also added some to the 'food' in the bowls.

   And here you have the final product.

 Hello,

What a lovely sunny frosty day we had here in London today.

Well, I haven't posted much this year as I didn't think anyone could see my posts. When I've done a google search nothing shows up and it's a bit demoralising as I can't think what I've done wrong with the set up on Blogger.

Anyway, I just saw... someone commented on one of my posts!!! EEK!! Someone actually found it!!! Yayyy!!

So here goes again with a short post of some makes :-)

Hope you like it.

Have a fab day

 xx