Bowing out

My last DT piece for Left of Center, at least for the time being.  I need to take a break and relieve the pressure a bit, so I'm stepping down.  It's been the most enormous fun and my teamies are a very talented bunch, so do hop over there and see what they've created.

This week's theme (yes, LOC challenges are now weekly!) is "Fairies", sponsored by Delicious Doodles.  I've used Steampunk fairy - I love the look on her face!  She's been printed on tissue (no, I'm still not tired of the technique) coloured on the reverse with alcohol markers (Promarkers in this case) and then glued onto a painted wooden coaster with Mod Podge.  I gave her a coat of Crackle paint but wasn't thrilled with the look so I put gloss Mod Podge over the top - and got this rather interesting texture.  Happy accident time!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my projects for LOC and that you'll continue playing.  I'll still be around blogland - so if you see me, say hi, OK?

xxx 

Keren

Robotics 101

Oops, almost forgot to post this one!  But - almost isn't quite.  So this is my DT contribution for LOC's latest challenge - Something metal.  We're sponsored by Rick St Denis and I've used Robotics 101 for my project.

 The robot was printed onto tissue (still not out of love with this technique) and lightly coloured on the back with alcohol markers.  I stuck it onto gold foil paper and cut it out - then I stuck the cut-out onto acetate to stiffen it.

I made the box card (these are so popular at the moment!) and used an embossing folder on the flaps. A bit of gilding wax made the embossing stand out.  Finally, I cut the gears with Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets.  And there you are, job down.

Thank you for stopping by, hope you enjoyed.  Now go and see what the DT at LOC have come up with, and perhaps share what you've done!  We'd love too see it.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

My favourite movie?

Oh dear, I'm still playing catch up!  It's been weeks since I changed my computer and  I should have been sorted by now...In my defence, I should say that sewing has been taking up a fair old bit of my time of late, as the OH's costume for Comicon in London has been put together.  (I think he must have been a Georgian dandy in a previous life and is in danger of being renamed Captain Pickypants!)

At any rate, I've managed to resolve my printing problems just in time for the latest LOC challenge, which this time is "My Favourite Movie".  We're sponsored by The Stamping Chef and I've used Broomstick Bella here to illustrate Practical Magic, - or Harry Potter - or  The Witches...all coloured in digitally (just in case I couldn't print and had to turn it into a digital scrapbook embellishment or something...)  and decoupaged up into a birthday card.

Anyway, that's me back up to date!  Hope you'll join in the fun at Left of Center - we'd love to see your work!

LOC Spring Fling

Spring is in the air and it's time for a new challenge at Left of Center.  Our theme is "Spring Fling" and we are sponsored by Delicious Doodles.  I'm using Rosie.  I've coloured the digi using Photoshop and cropped it into an oval shape before printing onto tissue.  While I was at it, I printed out a small size oval as well (and a few spares in both sizes - I may make more projects later!)
Applying the image to the candle by heating with a heat gun (using baking paper to keep it in place ) is so quick and easy.  Hope you like it.


Crafty hugs,

Keren

Limited Runs at Left of Center

It's new challenge time at Left of Center.  Last month was just so much fun, with the anniversary challenge running alongside the usual fortnightly themes, but it was a wee bit hectic.  Back to normal with the latest theme, which is - Dark.

I'm working with a digi from our sponsor, Limited Runs, The Count.  These little pop-up box cards are very popular at the moment and very easy to make.

I dug into my Halloween stash for the paper and punched the flaps of the box with my EK Success border punch (cutting off the spider that normally sits on the web).  The message?  Well, it just so happens that my birthday was yesterday, so this is my card to myself.

PS I had a GREAT day!

Here comes the bride!

...of Frankenstein.  This is my DT piece for the latest challenge at Left of Center, sponsored by Sassy Studios, and the theme is - ribbon and/or flowers. 

I've gone more left of centre - which is defined as anything gothic, horror, steampunk, manga etc  - rather than sticking to the theme this time, although there is a bit of braid at the top of the tag.  It doesn't really show in the photo, but I did a bit of decoupage on the digi of the Bride (who is very sassy indeed!).  Otherwise, this is a very straightforward tag, with a bit of colouring-in and sticking onto a tag, as my Mojo has apparently gone on holiday without me this week. 

We'd love to see what you can do with the challenge at LOC.  There's a prize from our sponsor up for grabs - why not hop over to the challenge blog  and share your project with us?  See you there!

Crafty hugs,

Keren

PS We have a Facebook group too - we'd love you to join!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/366516863488820/?bookmark_t=group

Backwards and in high heels!

My turn to contribute a project to the LOC Blogiversary celebrations, and I've chosen a digi from Ike’s Art. 

This is one of a series of real killer heel shoes – my feet ache just looking at them, but my word, aren't they pretty?  And what else should you do with a shoe but make a shoebox ?  The sentiment is one I made myself with my Imagepac, the quote is credited to Bob Thaves, about Fred  Astaire – “Sure he was great, but don't forget Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards...and in high heels!”

These folding box cards are very popular right now.  They are similar to the version that Rob Addams has on his CD's, but Rob's cards are powered by elastic and pop up into place.   This kind doesn't do that but there are lots of examples to follow if you want to make one.

I covered my box in Hunkydory card that I've had around for ages.  I do like black or white with tiny silver poka dots.  And it seemed to be just right for a card about one of the great dancers of the Hollywood heyday. So I hope you like it, too.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Left of Center Challenge- My favourite book

There’s lots going on at Left of Center at the moment – as well as the latest challenge, we are celebrating our first year as a challenge blog by sharing a project every day for the month and introducing the new sponsors who have generously agreed to offer a prize for future challenges.  Keep visiting LOC to make sure you’re up-to-date with the latest news.Today, though, our challenge is sponsored by one of our favourites – Delicious Doodles – and our theme is “Favourite Book”.  I’m using “La Rosa Muerta” to illustrate J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s story “Carmilla”. 

If you haven’t read “Carmilla”, it’s a real Gothic vampire story, full of mystery and imagination;  it was written before “Dracula” and may have given Bram Stoker some inspiration. I’ve coloured the digi with alcohol markers (Spectrum Noirs this time) in shades of brown and gold to try to mimic the look of old, faded colours, and mounted it on the cover of a mini-album, constructed out of chipboard and covered with brown card.  I’ve tried to mimic the look of leather by brayering PVA over the card.  I’ve tried this technique with a number of media - gel medium keeps its texture well as it dries; PVA flattens out a bit but the end result is like a fine-grained leather (if you try this, make sure you have a bowl of water handy to clean the brayer immediately, or be prepared to spend some time picking dried PVA off the roller.)  I embossed the card after I cut the oval for the picture out of it, and rubbed a tiny bit of gold wax over the surface to pick up the texture.

Inside, I covered the book with marbled paper which I’ve had in my stash for a long time – it was from Joanna Sheen but I don’t think she sells it any more (sad face) and added pages using Laura Denison’s “Stack the Deck” method.  Now all I have to do is decorate the pages ...

I do hope you like the mini album – and we’d love to see your projects.  There’s a prize from our sponsor up for grabs at LOC, and joining in the fun is easy.  See you there!

Crafty hugs,

Die cuts - LOC - Stamping Chef

It’s time for a new challenge at  Left of Center.  I’m working with Skull and Flowers from the Stamping Chef, one of the new sponsors who are supporting the challenges.

I wanted an olde-worlde inn sign to show off this happy little skull, so I gave a bit of chipboard a weathered wood effect (something I learned from an Andy Skinner online course – I am sworn to secrecy as to how it’s done!) and then die-cut it (Sizzix Alterations Cameo Frame).  I coloured the image digitally as my original thought was to get it printed out on a laser printer and use an image transfer technique – but it went a bit wrong L so I shifted to plan B, which was to print it out on Safmat.  I went looking for some suitable sentiments and found one I liked so I printed that out as well. And that was it, job done!  

We'd love to see your work at LOC, and joining in is easy.  You can either follow the theme – which this time is Die Cuts – or go Left of Center (Goth, horror, Manga, Steampunk etc) or do both.

You handsome devil!

Hello everyone, and welcome to Valentine’s day at Left of Center!

Our challenge them this time is “Demon Lovers” and we’re sponsored by Rick St Denis. I’m using Amulet.

The sentiment on his chest reads “To a devil from a devil – who the devil sent it?” (It’s one of those things that we used to write on Valentine cards when I was a girl, you know, like “Roses are red, violets blue, a face like yours belongs in a zoo”. Come to think of it, I never did get many romantic Valentine cards...)

The digi is a simple print coloured in with Promarkers and cut out. It’s sitting in a “Popping Box” card. The template for this came from a Robert Addams CD, which comes with several pre-
designed styles but also some blank templates, and I based my card on one of these. They are really, really easy to make. (You can download the pre-designed sheets from Rob’s website for a very modest 99p each). I did my eyesight a power of no good at all by printing the template onto black card – you could just see it, and once I’d made the box I cut panels from Hunkydory card (in my stash). Easy-peasy!

Hope you like it! We’d love to see what you’ve made – so come on, share with us at LOC! (There’s a prize from our super sponsor up for grabs!)

It's magic!

Hello everyone, time for a new challenge over at Left of Center.  This time our theme is Cute vs Creepy, and we are sponsored by Meljens.

I'm using Nibbles the Zombie cat.  I think he's rather cute, myself...

If you've been here before you might have noticed that I like making kinetic cards and this one is fun.  It's a Magic slider card.  First poor Nibbles is looking a bit washed out in his colourful frame...

Then  as he comes out of his frame, he gets some colour...

until he appears in full colour!

Gasp!  Surely this is sorcery?  How can it happen?  Well, if you want to know, check the Secret Slider How-to instructions here.  Nibbles has been coloured in with Promarkers and the frame was coloured with Distress inks.  The spider's web punch is from EK Success (I trimmed off the little spiders that were on the ends of the webs.)

Hope you like him!  And if you'd like to see what the rest of the DT have been up to at LOC, why don't you pop over and take a look?  We'd love you see your work as well - and there's a chance to win a prize as well!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Scary Stories

Hi everyone, thanks for visiting!  The latest challenge over at Left of Center is Scary Stories, and we are sponsored by the magnificent Ike.  I've chosen to use Telltale Heart, which is a story by Edgar Allen Poe (and it's a very scary story so if you've of a nervous disposition you might want to look away now)

 I'm still on my faux book kick.  This time I recycled a cover I'd made for another project - I brayered dimensional paint (Tulip paint) in black and silver over card to make the leather-look for the binding

I printed out the digi five times and after I'd coloured all the copies (with Spectrum Noir pens) I did a bit of decoupage, using the folds of the "pages" to separate the layers.

I'm entering this in the 

Quoth the Raven  challenge "Anything Poes", and

Haunted Design House challenge - "Fresh Blood".

New Year - New beginnings

Hello blog friends!  Time for a  new challenge at Left of Center, and as we've just arrived in 2014 the theme is New Year - New Beginnings.  This challenge is brought to you by Delicious Doodles, and I've combined two of Teri's digis in this project.

I used Gothic Bride & Groom and Romantic Clock Frame  and made a faux book - 

The cover is black card with gel medium brayered over the surface - it does a great job of imitating leather and is very, very easy to do!  The heart embellishment is moulded out of cold porcelain which is my latest favourite thing -  you can buy it ready made or, the best bit, make it at home from PVA,Cornflour, baby oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

I've made a how-to for the insert - you can find it here.  

I do hope you enjoyed your visit and will join in the fun at Left of Center.  Your project can meet the criteria of the challenge OR be "Left of Center" or both - and there's a prize from our sponsor up for grabs as well.  See you there?

Crafty Hugs

Keren

What's in the box?

Hi blog friends!  Thank you for visiting.  It's challenge time over at Left of Center once again, and this time we're celebrating Christmas with Sassy Studios.  I've used "All Wrapped Up" on the front of this pillow box.

I printed and cut the box with my Cameo.  The print and cut feature works so well, it's just like magic!  A bit of ribbon to finish and there you have a cute little gift box.  However, I like to use digis for more than cards and papercrafts every now and then, so inside the box...

Two little bars of soap. I coloured the digi in Photoshop and printed them out onto inkjet waterslide transfer paper (it needs a few coats of acrylic sealer to make it waterproof) and applied the transfers to the little cakes of soap (I had some melt and pour soap base lying around, as you do).  I also printed some tissue paper to customise the gift further, and there it is - simples!

So how about joining in with the fun at LOC?  We've got a DT call going at the moment as well so we'd love to see your creations and perhaps have you join us!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

P-Pick up a ...

Hi all, I'm back - did you miss me?  I took some time off from my DT duties over at Left of Center, but here I am again, refreshed and ready to get going with this fortnight's challenge, which is Winter/Christmas.  We're sponsored by Dilly Beans and I've chosen to use the Three Penguins digi.

I don't often make a straightforward greeting card but hey, it's the season of goodwill.  I coloured the digi in Photoshop and printed it out onto flock paper.  I matted it on silever and then mounted it onto a piece of white card that I'd embossed and then brushed DI over.  A glittery sentiment and it was all finished.

So how about you?  Why not join in with the challenge?  If you don't like the theme you can always go "Left of Center" and make something gothic, steampunk, manga or horror - related.  We'd love you to play with us!

The C word...

Hello everyone, Friday again and time for another challenge over at Left of Center.  This week our sponsor is the wonderful Ike and our theme is "Tape or Twine".

I usually go for the Left of Center theme but this time I've played it straight and this is officially my first Christmas project of the year.  I used Bauble Cat and coloured it in Spectrum Noirs.

I diecut an aperture into the card and added some die-cuts - the large branch is from Marianne and the other bits of foliage are Tattered Lace, coloured with Distress Inks.  A few red gems and a bit of red twine, and there we are.  

So now it's over to you - why not hop over to LOC and see what my talented teamies have come up with - and maybe show us what you can do?  Looking forward to seeing your projects!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Crow and Poe

Hello blog friends!  Well, after weeks of next to nothing, this week it's all happening.  I blame Mr Holtz - I was having so much fun with Creative Chemistry 102 that the ol' blog got a bit neglected.  But I have not been idle, oh no no no!  And it's my turn to run the Left of Center challenge, which this time is sponsored by Rick St Denis and has a Creepy/Spooky theme.

It's a twofer this time.  I'm on a kinetic card kick right now and this is a "Dissolving image" card -

First a crow (all right, it's a raven!)

 And then it's Poe!

This is a tricky one to make.  It's important to get the pieces in the right orientation or it will almost work but not quite!  (Guess how I know?  I'd practice a bit first if I were you!)   I've done aYouTube video of how to make this (which I could do with updating) and if you would like templates they can be found here.

The frame is covered with spiderweb netting, painted black and drybrushed white (I've done this before but I am very proud of myself for thinking of it - someone else may have done it first but if so I didn't know about it so I'm giving myself the credit!).  To tone down the bright white card I put a piece of acetate into the aperture and dabbed on some Lake Mist alcohol ink just to give it an aged look (sorry about the flash flare on Mr Poe)

Anyway, please hop over to LOC and see what the DT have been up to...and how about joining in?  If you don't like the theme you can still enter the challenge as long as your project is "Left of Centre" - creepy, horror, anime, steampunk, goth and so on.  We would LOVE to see your work!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

LOC - Halloween, Orange and Black

Hello blog friends and welcome!  It's time for a new challenge over at Left of Center and this time we're getting ready for Halloween with our sponsors, Limited Run Digis, and a colour theme of orange and black.

Halloween is a truly LOC festival and is much bigger here in the UK than when I was growing up, when Guy Fawkes Night was the event we all looked forward to, and I do so enjoy the fun these days - and with fun in mind, I've created this card.

I used the Alterations Rickety House die, and couldn't resist asking "who lives in a house like this?" Just a minute, though - where's the digi? Aha, this is not just a card.  This is a "waving flag" card.  When you pull the edges apart, lo and behold, up pops "the Count"!

 He was coloured in with alcohol markers and cut out with the Cameo - although there are no fiddly bits to this digi so it would be easy enough to cut by hand.  I just like having an excuse to use the Cammie!

If you would like instructions on how to make this kind of card (which is really easy) I've put them here.

To see what the rest of the DT have been up to and join in the fun, why not hop over to LOC?  We'd love to see your creations!

This is being entered into
Country View Crafts challenge - Something Spooky
Paper Crafting Journey - Halloween colours

LOC Challenges - Water

Time for another challenge at Left Of Center and this time we are sponsored by Delicious Doodles.  I've chosen Steampunk Mermaid for my project this time.  I've said it before, but the beauty of digital stamps is that you can have them in any size or colour your printer can cope with.  And they take up NO ROOM WHATSOEVER  - how good is that!

A few years ago glittering on acetate with Art Institute Glitters was all the rage and I acquired a fairly substantial amount of them, which have languished in a box under the table for lo, these several years.  It was high time to bring them out again and put them to use.

I printed the Steampunk Mermaid  on inkjet acetate, got out my glitters and a Quickie Glue pen and spent a happy afternoon applying glue to the back of the acetate section by section (starting with the darkest colour and working to the lightest).  Once I was done I coloured the sky and the rocks with alcohol markers (Promarkers in this case) and on the front of the acetate I added in some subtle shading to give definition here and there.  I trimmed the piece square as I wanted it to fit in the aperture of a little Graphic 45 box I happened to have about my person, and stuck it to a piece of Centura Pearl card with double-sided adhesive sheet.

The box got a "Weathered Wood" effect learned form Andy Skinner's Timeworn Techniques course and I moulded the shells and starfish from paper clay.  Once painted they all got a coat of Klear floor polish (this is a great sealer and gives a lovely soft sheen to things - and I've even used it as a clear adhesive where a lot of strength wasn't needed and the piece could take a long time to dry). The net was originally gold, and a bit flashy if truth be told, but once dunked in brown acrylic it came out looking good!

The inside of the box I painted with turquoise acrylic then put white over a coat of crackle glaze (Decoart, in this case).    Just right for storing a mini-album with memories of the seaside.

If you want to see what the rest of the DT have been up to, hop on over to LOC and take a peep - and perhaps share your project!  

Crafty hugs,

Keren.

PS I'm entering this in 

Country View Crafts Blog challenge - Layers

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes

Our Creative Corner - Forgotten Things

Left of Center Challenge - No Designer Paper Allowed!

It's new challenge time at Left of Center and this time we are sponsored by the awesome Rick St Denis.  The challenge is to either create something Left of Centre (Gothic, Steampunk, spooky etc - very appropriate for Friday 13th, don't you think?) and/or to use no designer paper in the creation.   I chose Dark Angel Sauvage for my project.  The background to this tag was one which I made for Tim Holtz's August tag (I made a few while I was in the groove, as it were!) and wasn't used.  However, it came into its own here.

The great thing about digital stamps is their flexibility - they can be any size your printer can handle and can be coloured in digitally as well.  That's what I've done here;  I used photo editing software to colour the image in (another advantage - any colour you want, you can have!)  Once it was all finished, I imported the image into my Silhouette Studio software and added a cut line (it was surprisingly easy!), printed the image and then cut it out with the Cameo.  I previously had a Craft Robo and could never get it to detect the registration marks that it needs to cut accurately - however, the Cammie did it first time. 

After that it was just a matter of assembling the tag. I do hope that you like it.

Why don't you hop over to LOC and see what the rest of the DT have been up to, and maybe join in the fun?

PS Also entering this in
  The Paper Makeup Stamps challenge - Make your own background
Scribble and Scrap - Anything goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Divine Digis

Happy crafting,

Keren