Let's Pretend

Good morning,

Well, after seven weeks we appear to have our internet fully functional again - to say it has been driving me mad is an understatement! After a visit from a very obnoxious BT broadband engineer with a god complex he decided it was the extension line to the upstairs that was causing the fault. Said connection has now been removed and all seems well again - only time will tell, I suppose!

On a crafty note, it's time for our next challenge over at Cardz for Guyz and this week Kim has chosen the theme of

'LET'S PRETEND'

So we would love to see your projects showcasing a 'pretend' or faux technique, such as making something look like wood, or using faux stitching (that sort of thing) OR you can play 'dress ups' like the children when they 'pretend'.

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I decided to go for the faux metal look with my aluminium tape - a definite favourite of mine. I cut nine squares of scrap cardstock 4cm x 4 cm and covered each one with metal tape. I ran them all through an alphabet embossing folder, then added some alcohol ink to distress them and make them look a little rusty (I hope!).

These little faux metal tiles were then adhered to some kraft cardstock, then layered onto turquoise cardstock before adding to my card blank.

The topper consists of two die-cut layers (the top one has been inked to give a soft turquoise tone to match), then I added the lettering (using my good old Clarity Letterbox stamps). A piece of brown velvet ribbon secures the topper to the centre of the card.

I hope you will come and play this time with your 'pretend' techniques.

Hugz, Jan xx

Metal Magic

Good morning,

Well it's day two of my half term and I didn't even make it into my craft room yesterday - so many other things to do! Lol

I'm back today with news of our next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Kim has chosen the theme of

'METAL'

So, here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

Out with the old metal tape again - I love this stuff and it's so easy to use. I covered a piece of white cardstock with my metal tape and then ran it through my Calibur using a Clarity cogs stencil - to create an embossed effect. I then painted over it with white gesso and wiped most of it off with a clean baby wipe, then added some black archival ink by smearing the inkpad over the top of the raised areas (the plan was to give the metal a grungy look!)

I decided to keep it fairly simple to show off the metal effect, so just added a stamped sentiment which is embossed with black embossing powder and then cut with my dies.

I hope you can join us this time.

Hugz, Jan xx

K for KEYS

Good morning crafters,

Hehe! I always want to type 'Good morning campers!!' Lol

Hope everyone is having a great week and as it's Friday again it's time for another challenge over at the Alphabet Challenge Blog. This week it's my turn to host the challenge and we are up to the letter 'K'. I chose the theme 'KEYS' for this one and would love to see your projects using a 'key' in some way, whether it's a focal point or used in a background -I can't wait to see all your interpretations of the theme. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I loved designing this piece, which is made from an old tag covered with brown cardstock which I embossed with a steampunk style mask. I added a little copper gilding wax to highlight the embossed areas to make my background. 

The heart is cut from card, covered with metal tape and also passed through a script embossing folder, then coloured with alcohol ink.  I added a strip of book paper behind the heart, just to lift it from the embossed background. The edges are inked with 'Vintage Photo distress ink.

I used one of my precious 'Tim Holtz' keys for this project - it has the word 'heart' written on the head of the key, which seemed an appropriate choice. I have wound some wire around the length of the key and added some tiny seed beads. Behind the key are a couple of die-cut leaves, which I hope look like wings and a couple of little tiny brass wings.

The wording is printed on cream cardstock from my pc. I chopped it into pieces and inked with the same distess ink, before adding them to the card.

The tag is embellished with some extra bits from my stash, including three metal finish eyelets, a metal look brad, a little metal safety pin (which is also threaded with tiny seed beads) and a little metal cog.

I was aiming for a 'steampunk' look - what do you think?

I would like to enter this project into the challenge over at Fussy and Fancy which is 'Steampunk'.

Hugz, Jan xx

It's all about the Background

Good morning crafty friends and followers,

I hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to begin another week. I had a manic cleaning day yesterday (oops, sorry to swear!) I blame it on this warmer weather - spring cleaning and all that. Anyway, that's enough about that! Lol.

It's time for a new challenge over at Make My Monday and this week our Fliss has chosen the theme 'Make your own Background'. Well, the possibilities are endless and it took me a while to decide which method to use for my card. As I use my distress inks and Promarkers all the time, I wanted to do something a little different - so here's what I used to make my background ...

A roll of metal tape, a Cuttlebug embossing folder 

and some alcohol inks.

And here's what I made ...

Here's how I made the background in three easy steps:

Step One 

Start with a piece of plain white card measuring 13.5cm x 10.5cm 

and cover it with lengths of metal tape, 

wrapping it around the edges onto the back to secure.

Step Two

Pop the piece of faux metal into the embossing folder 

and pass through your chosen machine.

Step Three

Apply your chosen alcohol inks all over the embossed piece 

until blended together.

I have matted my background onto a piece of black card before adding it to my 6x6" card. The flowers are stamped onto a book page, cut out and then coloured with 'Twinkling H2Os', which leave a lovely shimmer. The sentiment is from 'Creative Expressions' and is stamped with Versamark ink and embossed in black. Some die-cut leaves and a couple of little punched flowers finish off the card.

I am really looking forward to visiting your blogs this week to look at all your handmade backgrounds.

Hugz, Jan xx

It's all about the Texture

Hi there,

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend - we have had quite a bit of rain here.  I have been playing a continuous game of washing out/washing in all weekend! In between my crafting, of course! Lol.

I have gone all 'Steampunk' today making a special card for a design team call.  The theme is 'Texture' and I have tried to show this in several ways.  Here's what I made ...

The background paper is from the TH 'Lost and Found' paper stack and I distressed the edges with my scissors, before inking them with Walnut Stain distress ink.  I then inked through the clock mask and heat embossed some little cogs and gears down the right hand side with gold detail embossing powder.  I stamped some wings, gears and paint splodges onto the background paper and added some little torn pieces of text from an old book.

The main image is a Kanban stamp - partly coloured with Promarkers and the jacket is paper pieced. The image is backed with brown coredinations cardstock cut using a Spellbinders Labels Seventeen die.  It has been dry embossed with an embossing folder and then sanded back to show the core.

The 'Steampunk' lettering was mainly created on my pc, apart from the letter 'S' which was cut from a piece of card covered in metal tape, embossed and coloured with alcohol inks.  The flower was made in the same way.

Additional embellishments include a heart cut from corrugated card and inked with distress ink together with an additional brass-coloured wirework heart, a little brass clockface (which I added some chain to), some metal washers and a 'Dare to Create' sentiment.  I also treat some parts of the card to a sprinkling of gold Frantage embossing powder.

I think I managed to get some texture in there - hope I didn't overdo it! Lol.  I am off to submit it now and should find out at the beginning of September if I have been successful.  I hope so - wish me luck.

Hugz, Jan xx