June Challenge - The Craft Garden

Full challenge details can be found Here

This is a 6" x 4" folder from 7 Gypsies. I covered the front and back using paper from Fancy Pants, and added a panel of fabric that I had stenciled using fabric paint. The flower and leaf were also decorated with fabric paint too. 

Inside I used card stock & 3D paper flower supplied by Kerry at The Craft Garden.

I used the keepsake envelope Kerry supplied & I made a journal from the journal card she supplied too.

April Challenge - The Craft Garden

Full challenge details can be found Here 

The challenge this month is a recipe.  Choose three of the following ingredients and include them in your project: Ribbon, 4 Buttons, Ink or mist, Floral Patterned Paper, Stencil, Paperclip, Green.

I made this A5 card using various ingredients from the recipe above (buttons, patterned paper, green, paperclip, ribbon). 

My flowers were made from a white t shirt my son discarded. I cut the flower, leaves and grass out of the fabric before I coloured it.  I made a solution of SoSoft fabric paint and water in an old container and soaked the fabric in it. Once dried I added the details with stitching.

I tore some patterned paper stuck it onto the card, added faux stitching before finishing off with embellishments. 

Softly Does It

SoSoft Fabric Paint

I was demonstrating SoSoft fabric paint recently at Stamperama in Stevenage and I thought I would show you some of the samples I made.

The flower has been made using a mask, two colours for the main image and gold to highlight the image.

I made a solution of SoSoft and water and sprayed the espadrille below yellow before using masks to decorate it. 

I picked up this bib from a charity shop for 50p and gave it a new look by free painting an owl onto the front.

This mask has been used on self adhesive fabric paper which I have frayed at the edges and then mounted onto card. 

I picked up this denim bag also from a charity shop and painted on the leaves before adding the flower, a quick and simple technique that is very effective. 

Scrapbooker of the year 2013 - Results

Scrapbook Magazine runs a competition every year to find the 'Scrapbooker of the Year' and I can announce I am a Runner-Up in this years competition.

Below is one of the three layouts I submitted

Love

This is the front cover of a scrapbook. I wanted it to look like the padded fabric notice boards you see in retro style kitchens.

Materials:

Tando List Board (CHLKBDLIST), 1 piece of 12 x 12 acetate, DecoArt SoSoft fabric paint D5579, DecoArt Americana Bleached Sand DA257, stencil 6” x 6” TCW 3715, thin white ribbon, American Crafts Journal Stickers book ‘Remarks’, Darcy PaperArtsy Eclectica 3 EDY01 stamps set, Prima Typo Bulbs #891527- Love, sea shells, natural hemp, smooth white Bazzill, turquoise Bazzill, glitter spot Bazzill, Sea Breeze Versa Magic, Stix2 Ultra Sticky double sided tape, Crafty Notions glue, journaling pen, some waste packing material,  thin chipboard or cardboard and old t shirt.

Tools:

Cropodile or similar, scissors, cut and dry, acrylic block, paint brush, cutting mat.

Instructions:

1. Paint the outer frame of the list board with two coats of Bleached Sand paint and leave to dry.

2. Take an old t shirt or piece of fabric and cut slightly larger than the list board. Using the stencil and fabric paint cover the fabric and put to one side to dry.

3. Once the list board frame is dry cut the acetate to size and stick onto the inside of the frame creating a window effect. Measure and punch out the binding holes, these will be used as the guide for each subsequent layer.

4. Using the sea breeze ink pad, randomly stamp the edge of the frame using the heart leaf vine.

5. Again using the sea breeze ink pad stamp the sentiment onto smooth white Bazzill and cut to fit the oval part of the list board. Make a border in turquoise Bazzill and stick in place.

6. Take some sea shells, hemp and a Prima bulb embellishment and glue in place to finish off the frame, put to one side.

7. Take some packing material (or thin foam) and stick onto the list board this needs to be slightly smaller than the board.

8. Once the stenclled fabric is dry place it on top of the packing material and secure at the back of the board using Ultra Sticky double sided tape.

9. Cut lengths of ribbon and crisscross it over the fabric and secure at the back leaving just enough slack so that a photograph can slip underneath the ribbon.

10. Cut the thin chipboard to fit the rear of the list board hiding all the fabric and ribbon ends and stick in place using Ultra Sticky tape.

11. Make binding holes using the frame holes for positioning.

12. Trim the photograph and mount onto the glitter Bazzill, now position under the crisscrossed ribbon to make it look like a postcard on a notice board.

13. Using one of the journal stickers, mount onto turquoise and white Bazzill and cut out to the desired shape, add some faux stitching using a black journaling pen again position under the ribbon and use double sided tape if necessary to secure the position.

14. Finally stick the frame onto the fabric board and use hemp to bind the cover and subsequent pages.

SoSoft Baby Grow Book Cover

I wanted to make a book cover from an item of clothing as I had some fab fabric paint from DeocArt. I hit the charity shops and found a baby grow for 50p!

I chopped off the arms and legs.

I then turned the baby grow inside out and sewed down each side.

I took some card (which needs to be a good weight for a book cover) and inserted it into the baby grow from the bottom. I then hand sewed across the bottom enclosing the card.

I diluted some SoSoft with water and put it into a mister bottle. This technique is great for craft products where washing the fabric is not required, I wouldn't recommend doing this if a garment requires repeated washing as the colour fades.

This creates a fabulously delicate blended result.

I used the Eucalyptus mask from StencilGirl for a general background pattern.

I then cut off a pocket from a t shirt and used the Tornado stencil by Andy Skinner to create the feeling of a sky and then used a leaf mask from Imaginations Crafts, I finished off the leaves with a white POSCA pen. This I then attached to the baby grow to cover the tiny bear motif printed on it.

I added a pink spotted felt flower that I had edged with SoSoft, a steam punk heart that I had added some ribbon to and finished off with a butterfly that I made from shrink plastic and alcohol inks. I used the remains of the watered down SoSoft to 'dye' a piece of fabric which I knotted into a bow tie and stuck in place.

I used a mask from Crafters Workshop to create the flames adding some free hand flames to get the overall desired look. I outlined these in a fine white POSCA pen. Finally I hand painted a phoenix and edged this with black and white POSCA pens.

I thought the phoenix was a great tie in to the baby grow as both represent a new beginning, a new life.

I look forward to your comments.