MHK Designs - Realistic Roses

     Welcome to day two of our new releases at MHK Designs. This set, Realistic Roses, has one gorgeous image and three beautiful sentiments.

     I decided to make something other than a card with this design, it's quite  tall which lends itself to being wrapped around something.
     As I'm not confident putting tissue paper through my printer I used some basic copy paper, the design was printed three times across an A4 sheet, one to colour and two spares....just in case.
     The flowers were coloured with alcohol markers, then the image was fussy cut before being put on the candle. The image was held firmly against the candle with greaseproof paper and then 'melted' into the candle using a heat gun. I did the image first and then the sentiment later. You can see the edges of the paper disappear under a layer a wax and become almost invisible. If you use a coloured candle try to print on paper that has a close colour match.
     A project like this would make a great table centre for Valentines Day, a wedding or just a thoughtful gift to someone special.

Realistic Roses

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Doodle Pantry - Anything Digital

Digital Delights - Anything Goes

MHK Designs - Fruit Borders

   Welcome to day two of the new releases at MHK Designs. This set is called Fruit Borders and features lemons and pears, along with some great sentiments.

     Is it too early to be thinking of Christmas gifts? I thought my Mum might like this in her kitchen, there are always candles at hand, just incase the power goes off.
     The image was printed on basic quality copy paper, I didn't try tissue in my printer as it can be temperamental at the best of times. I coloured the image with Graph-It markers and then fussy cut it. I also fussy cut the sentiment ready to go onto the candle.
     The image was added first by laying the paper over the candle and then covering it with a long length of baking parchment. Holding the parchment tightly at the back, to keep the image flush to the candle, I used my heat gun to melt the wax so the image sunk in and the edges of the paper disappeared. Here's the link to a You Tube video tutorial that will guide you through the process, it's really easy and very effective. The sentiment was added in the same way and then all that was left to do was put it on a stand and add some ribbon.
     The fire safety label is still on the bottom of the candle,  I've been told that it should not be sold without one so if you are making these for fund raisers you may want to find out more.
     We have another three days of new releases to show you, you can find lots more inspiration over at the MHK Designs blog, plus the chance to win a set.  If you would like to buy them now you can find them all on Etsy.

   

Fruit Borders

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Craft For The Craic - Anything But A Card

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes

A Beautiful Mess - Anything Goes

Bird On A Wick

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions is a quick and easy make, ideal for a last minute gift. I have seen this technique done and the results were gorgeous but until this week I had never tried it myself.

     Using Craft Consortium Bird Tree Tops decoupage paper I cut out two pattern repeats, one long strip meant the birds weren't quite equally spaced. If you are able to tear the edges they disappear more easily into the wax went heated, but that wasn't possible on this design without the risk of damage to the image. As you can see it still melted in to the candle without any problem, it did help that the background was cream just like the candle.
     I melted one image panel at a time as it was easier to hold. I put the image onto the candle and then held it in place with a layer of wax paper over the top, long enough to go all the way around the candle and give you some to hold on to, this keeps the tissue flat and taught. Pass the heat gun over the image area, you will be able to see the wax melt and the tissue edges disappear as you work, do not overheat, it only takes a few seconds.
     Once set the image looks just as though you had painted it on, it's very hard to tell it was tissue to start with. If you wanted to add a greeting you could stamp this on tissue and add it in the same way as the image.
     For display I have added a rose, this started life white. Using Phill Martin's Decadent Wine Ink Spray Mist I have coloured the paper rose. Once dry the wire stem is tucked underneath the candle on the stand, it isn't stuck so it can be removed when the candle is low, that way it won't catch fire.


Materials used
Craft Consortium Decoupage Papers - Bird Tree Tops
Phill Martin Ink Spray Mist - Decadent Wine
Cut-Rite Wax Paper

I would like to enter my candle in the following challenges:

Crafty Calendar - Things With Wings

Love to Create - Anything Goes

Rhinestone berries

Maybe not my best photographic effort but it's not easy getting the angle right sometimes when you want to show all the details.

This is my entry for this weeks 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown . We had to use Rhinestone Embellishments, at least three....seventeen should qualify! The stamp is from Creative Expressions - Stylish Christmas 2 . I have used the separate swirl in the set to make a patterned background which doesn't really show up well here, sorry. I stamped and embossed with clear ink and clear powder to keep it subtle. The main image is embossed in gold. I then stamped and embossed another image from which I then cut out the leaves, candle and flame. The leaves are painted with Cosmic Shimmer watercolour paints and all the berries have been covered with red rhinestones. The candle is curved gently over some silicone glue to give it dimension.

I'm enjoying playing along with this challenge, there are some beautiful cards being posted, lots of inspiration.