Teddy Bo Top Tips Thursday

Who wants to stand out from the crowd?????

Not me I would rather hide at the back and peek round the side lol!

Fortunately Bea likes to stand out and Kirsty-Anne has a brilliant tutorial for us today that will help her do just that.

Bo loves any kind of attention at all so would love for you to use the tutorial and join our current challenge which is masculine with string and buttons.

Warm and Furry hugs

Debbie & the Gang

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Would you like to make Bea stand out !!


Here is how I do it with a dark pencil !!!


There is a subtle difference between the two pictures . I have used Teddybea_204


The first picture I have just coloured as normal with prismacolor pencils and blended with Zest Blending solution .


The colours I used are - Fur - Peach beige,Beige Sienna,& Light Umber. Dress & Hat - Light Peach,Peach Deco,Peach. Ladybird & Flower centre - Scarlet Lake .







The second picture I have used French Grey 90% to highlight areas to make her stand out more. You can use black , espresso or any other dark pencil. The secret is to have the sharpest point at all times !!!






I have started in the hat rim where I have just used strokes just quarter up every second or third line and the same from the top down . I have done random small lines following the drawing on the patterned hat. I have just went along the flower petals on just one side and just a quarter of the inside lines from the centre out towards the petals . I have also defined the hat more by going around the entire edges .






I next go down the flaps of her hat on the line next to her face and on the creases on the material dark down towards the pom pom.








I them go around the collar at the top and where the collar meets in the middle, Then on the valleys of the collar and on the seams and under her arms .




I go again on the valleys inside her cardigan and dress panels . Again on the creases and around the dress.









Lastly I have went deeper under her dress where her leg starts , where the feet meet and lastly under the feet for a shadow.


I hope you will give it a go and just practice !! remember to use the dark pencil after you have coloured and blended everything as it will smudge . Also you can lean on your pencil more adding different pressure to make the dark pencil even darker .

Thanks for stopping by ;0) xx

Teddy Bo Top Tips Thursday

Did you see Karen's wonderful box on the Teddy Bo Tuesday post a couple of days ago?

We're lucky that she has been "encouraged" in time honoured tower tradition - involving lots of fermented vegetables - to write a tutorial for us all.

The bonus of this box is that you don't need any glue to keep it together. We're not so keen on glue here as it attracts camel hair very nicely and anyone falling asleep at the table risks getting a Cuthbert beard - not all that flattering although it does give a bit of authenticity to some of the girls entering various Olympic field events :0)

So here's Karen's box with the addition of a little gifty to put in it.


Furry Hugs


Debbie & The Gang

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Glueless Box Tutorial

Using Fairy D TB_Prom Pencil Sketch.
Design Paper used (printed straight onto card) is from my SWALK Cd-Rom 2.
Card used for box is Smooth Printable Card - you can use any lightweight card for this. If your card is much thicker than 160 - 180gsm it may tear on you.
Ribbons are from Crafty Ribbons - my pink ones are from the "Jam Pot" bag.
Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.


FIRSTLY - print out your backing paper directly onto your two sheets of card stock. Now take ONE of your sheets and trim off from ONE short edge and ONE long edge only, a half centimetre from each.

 This slightly smaller sheet will form your box base.
The following steps you will do exactly the same for your base and lid…
Gently bend/fold your card towards the middle lengthways, without creasing or scoring. When you have the long edges lined up, make a crease at the top and bottom of your card – so that you can easily see where the centre line of your card is.






Now fold your card so that each long edge meets in the centre at the creases you just made. Burnish with your score tool.







I lifted one of the edges slightly in the middle so you could see more clearly where they meet in the middle.


Once you have burnished your creases with your score tool, open your card back out flat again.


Now do exactly the same thing with your short edges, but this time, keep your card folded once you have burnished your folds, don’t open out flat again.







Next – using the following pictures 3 and 4 as a guide – I want you to fold your corners into triangles, from the crease lines that are already there. If you look at the picture – my score tool is showing you where your previous crease line should be.


If you look at your card – it’s easier than it sounds.


Can you see how i’m making my triangles?
Don’t forget to burnish all of your folds/creases with your score tool. You need all of your folds very sharp.

Do this with all four corners like so.



Remember to burnish with your score tool when you're done.


Now fold the two remaining long edges back over on themselves, back towards the triangles. Burnish with your score tool.

Now put your fingers inside and gently open out your box.


You also need to pinch the side and bottom creases with your finger and thumb to re-difine your folds a little now that you are done.



TOP TIP!




If you find that your sides are “bowing” out a little – simply pinch inwards (gently) the top edges whilst re-creasing all of the folds with finger and thumb. This will solve the problem instantly for you! :0)

Now repeat with your second sheet - add your ribbon to the lid - then topper and decorations of your choice - and voila!



Your famous, Krafty Karen's totally glueless box is complete! Smiles.



To match my gift box, I designed my own necklace too - out of some beads I already had, stretch wire, and my own, hand done, paper beads.



As a bonus to this tutorial here is a quick step by step for how you too can create your own paper beads. :0)

Step one - you need to print out your chosen backing paper (in this case I used the same as I had used for my box.)
Step two - cut out long triangles that taper to a fine point (see picture below.) Mine measured 4inches long and 0.75 inches at their widest point.

Step three - Laying them face down, spread (lightly) with pva glue at the top and the bottom, then using a cocktail stick for ease of use start to roll them from the widest point to the thinnest.



Make sure that you keep your paper rolling to the centre of your "bead".


Step Four - Once rolled - very gently ease off the end of your cocktail stick. Place onto your necklace wire and space with beads as desired.


Can you see how the paper is all rolled towards the centre of the bead?

This is an extra little gift for an extra special person who is turning four this week. 

Hugs 'N' Happy Crafting Everyone!


Karen.xx

Teddy Bo Top Tips Thursday

We're running a little late with our Teddy Bo top tips today as it finally stopped raining for long enough for me to try and bully the girls into cleaning the outside of the windows and changing all the beds.

As our theme for the Teddy Bo challenge is Christmas in July we have the perfect gift tutorial to get your present stash started by another one of our new girlies Wendy or if you're quick and your small people haven't finished school yet these would make great teachers' thank you gifts.

Furry Hugs

Debbie and the Gang

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GIFT BOX SURPRISE TUTORIAL

A Gift Box Surprise is a small box with a hanger inside.  This is probably one of the most popular things I have been asked for at Christmas as they can be hung up every year.  I have chosen to use a Pearlised Creamy Ivory Cardstock and Black Cardstock to make mine, but you can use any complimentary colours.

Inside???

Gift Card Hanger

How to make it??

BOX Materials

Good quality Cardstock Cut 1 = 27cm x 27cm and 1 = 19cm x 19cm

Ultra Sticky Double Sided Tape

Once you have cut your card to size you need to score it

Base: 27 x 27 score at 1.5cm all the way around then again at 4.5cm and finally at 9cm

Once you have scored it, on either side only, cut along the score line to the centre line 

(see photo below)

Then do exactly the same for Lid: 17 x 17 but this time there are only 2 scores, one at 1.5cm and 4cm all the way around. Once you have scored it and on either side only, cut along the score line 

to the centre line just as you did for the Base.  Then tape the prepared Base & Lid.

When you make the Base you will need to tape twice on the edge, 

one on the inside and one on the outside, but only once on the lid

(See Photo)

Then construct your lid and base as per photo below and stick together

 Now your Box has been constructed the last thing you need to do is make two small holes with a 

Pricking Tool in the centre of the lid for Ribbon to thread through.

Now you can put your box to one side and construct the contents of the box - The Gift.....

For the Gift Hanger you will need:

Length of Ribbon (I used Black voile)

6 = 9cm x 9cm squares of Creamy Pearlised card 

12 = 9cm x 9cm squares of Black card

The cream squares will be the base for your gift hanger, with the black squares 

you need to tear them to smaller shapes that will be stuck onto the cream square 

as in this photo below and they will be stuck on both sides of the cream card.

Next you need to punch a hole in either corner of the square and thread your Ribbon through and knot

 Work your way through each square until it is ready to be placed through the lid.  

Make a lovely big bow for the lid. Thread your ribbons through the holes in your lid and tie 

your hanger around the centre of that bow. On the last square of the hanger at the bottom, 

you will need to affix a charm or a bell to add weight and keep the hanger straight.

Then all that's left is to embellish the squares with gorgeous Teddy Bea or Bo images 

and write or print your Sentiments.  I wrote my own sentiments, I think it's more personal and

it's so easy to change ordinary handwriting just by adding dots to it! Here's what I added to mine.

 

 

 

Hope you like it

Wendy xx

It's Teddy Bo Top Tips Thursday

We could be accused of having our heads in the clouds quite often here at the towers especially if you stick your head out of the up up upstairs (yes it's quite a way when you're carrying several gallons of bleach) bathroom but Hazel has come up with a brilliant way of adding clouds to her cards.

She's even kindly provided some templates for you to use as she finally managed to tie Hamish down to the desk and draw round him. There's several different ones as he wouldn't stop wriggling.

Anyhow I'll hand you over to Hazel and her top tips for today

Furry Hugs

Debbie & The Gang

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 This tutorial is only the second one I've done so if you think I need to change anything please tell me.

You will need cloud templates for this technique. 

I have made 4 different ones for you to use if you don't feel confident in drawing your own. 

I use all 4 so there's is very little repetition of shape.

Mine measure around 13.5cm long and around 3.5cm deep. 

The depth is so you can comfortably hold the template in place.

Ingredients

Coloured image I've used TEDDYBOBEA_115 BEA

Cloud templates 

Blue ink pads. I use either tumbled glass or broken chine distress ink pads.

Stipple brush. I us 5/16" Royal Crafter's Choice grip 9113 brush.

Scrap paper to practise on.

How To.....

First things first you need to practise until you're happy with it all.

I tap the brush onto the ink pad twice then do about half way and then repeat 

until you are at the end of the image.  Now change the template and continue down.

On your scrap piece of paper practise using the templates. See if you prefer one ink over another, how much ink you want to lay down, how deep you want to add colour before you add your next layer of clouds and how far apart you want the clouds to be.

Once you're happy with your practise clouds you are ready to start on the coloured image.

Begin by placing your cloud template partially off the image.

You now have your first line of clouds.

Keep adding clouds, being careful not to get ink on the image.

Changing the templates, using both the back and front of the templates.

Going into tight spaces, like between her coat and scarf, and between the ribbons on her hat.

Continue until you are around 1cm from the ground.

Now you are near the ground have a couple of cloud bumps popping up above the ground.

And now you're done. I hope you have found this tutorial useful and easy to follow.

We would love to see your clouds, 

so please share links to your project's in the comment section,

 on my blog www.threelabradors.blogspot.com or on Facebook.

Hugs

Hazel xx