Category Archives: Festive Flurry

DT: Incy wincy : Alter something

Canvas and Mixed Media art, Digital stamps, Festive Flurry, fresco finish paints, Paperartsy, Random Crafts

The challenge over at Incy Wincy is to alter something.  I chose to do something with the Bugaboo (our sponsors) digital stamp. 

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I printed it out and cut it with a little white border.  Then took my object to be altered…. a 30 pence sign I got in the sales with the idea of altering at some point even if I had no idea when… but at that price I couldn’t resist!

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It is also a cute sign on its own … certainly seems to apply to me … but unlikely to get hung in my home… so a coat of fresco finish paints and some stamping….

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A perfect starting base for my project.  I used the nougat paint for the base and then Bora Bora and Space Cadet for the stamping using the Festive Flurry stamps.  I also flicked some shimmer paint drops onto the panel.

The stamped image I used the same paints for the colouring… I love the shimmer…

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I used multi medium to adhered the noel to the panel…

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I then added the little wooden snowflake to the bauble… and then the little bits of trim to soften the wire.

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Love how this finished up… what a great little project! 

Please pop over to the blog to see what everyone else has been up to!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Christmas flurries

Festive Flurry, Papermania stamps, Top Note

I decided I wanted to play with embossing the other day and ended up making a Christmas card…. yes I know tonight is bonfire night and I was trying not to make christmas cards as bored of them but still… It happened! Plus I had to share a scheduled post as I’ve been pretty unwell today with my anxiety. 😦

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I started with the festive flurry snowflakes and then started adding some colour… Tumbled Glass to start with and then Salty Ocean. … love how the embossed snowflakes glow.  I then decided to use the Top note die and a large sentiment I had to create the topper.   Then some more inking was needed, I also heat embossed the sentiment stamp over the ink.

Then I added this with some die cut swirls coming out from underneath and some gems to finish.

Fun and frosty.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Card class with friends

Darcy, Festival of Trees, Festive Flurry, Festive Flurry framelits, Snow Flurry Bigz, White Christmas, Woodware stamps

A couple of weeks ago I did a card class for my supposedly non crafting friends who turned out to be rather talented in the crafting department.  I then scheduled another session with them, but two were unable to turn up… so I did the same class again for them tonight.

Then like a complete daft idiot I forgot to take pictures of their completed projects… so instead you will have to see mine.   Also will add in the links to the original posts and samples…
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Clare and Caroline had the full kit like last time with the DSP and the cherry cobbler mounts… I made a smaller card and grabbed a gold mount for mine.
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This is fairly true to the original sample. Caroline created a very different look with a different tree stamp from the set… can’t wait to try it out myself.
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Clare and Caroline had the same colour scheme as the original in kraft but as I had run out of kraft cards I improvised with this turquoise instead.
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We had all manner of different panels going on for this. Clare created a nice L shape for hers which really worked although her original idea was L for learner… I think both her and Caroline (like Gwen two weeks ago) are well and truly past that stage now with 8 cards under their belt (Gwen is actually on 9 but we ran out of energy tonight after the fourth!). Link to the original

So a fab night was had by all. I’m off to sleep as had very little in the way of rest time all day and absolutely shattered!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Christmas card making – card no 2

Darcy, Festive Flurry, Festive Flurry framelits

Card number two we made last night…

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The panel is created by stamping the Darcy snowflakes through some postit notes and then adding some blending with a blending tool.  All this was done using just one ink colour (Baja Breeze).  Then I stamped one of the Festive flurry snowflakes and die cut it out, along with some snow flurry snowflakes.

I added these layered up and some bakers twine too. Also added some glitter to the festive flurry snowflakes.

Finally added the sentiment from Good Greetings.

Quite a simple card but some techniques to learn…

Gwen and I mixed it up a little with the ones we made together…

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This is Gwen’s…
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And mine.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Art journalling … Pop up quick challenge… With Fairefoxes

Canvas and Mixed Media art, Festive Flurry, Gorgeous Grunge, Random Crafts, Spectrum Noir Aquatints, Undefined stamp carving

Yes another art journal page… I am full of them at the moment.

This time it was another pop up challenge from Rae… We had to do the page in ten minutes with what we had to hand… No thinking!

Well I had my Spectrum Noir aquatints out for another project so dropped some on to a page I hadn’t even added gesso too… As you can imagine with the rubbish super porous paper that this sketchbook has, it soaked right through so I ended up having quite a few sheets of paper behind to stop it going through every page. Ah well… Blue and green blobs on quite a few pages to contend with in the future.

I let it dry for a few minutes (I didn’t count that in the ten minutes as I was actually busy tidying up… Yes I know unheard of normally but I tend to do it with wet items likely to spill like the Aquatints!) and then grabbed a stamp of a moose I had carved and still had on my desk (he makes me smile). I use some mother of pearl paint… It was in the basket of paints to my side at the time, and used some cut and dry foam to add the paint to the stamp… And plonked him down in the middle of the still damp aquatint splodge. I also tried to add some splodges using the Gorgeous Grunge stamp and some Crushed Concord ink but they don’t really show up.

Next I grabbed the Festive Flurry snowflakes… Strictly speaking they were on the shelf… But could grab them without standing up so they still count as to hand! I stamped two in Whisper White craft ink, and one in Soft Sky ink. Then I rummaged in the paint basket and found a decoart liner dimensional paint thing I have had for ages. It wasn’t best quality but worked for adding some silver dots around the page. Then the Andy Skinner stamps … Which were out with the intention of using them on another project I was waiting to dry whilst I did this… Thought that the Dream Big sentiment worked. I outlined the moose with a fine liner pen and checked the time… Nine minutes (excluding the few minutes drying time). The page was still damp when I took the photo in fact… Wonder what it will look like tomorrow when actually dry?!?

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Happy crafting!

Catherine

Playing with Paperclay

Art doll, Canvas and Mixed Media art, Darcy, Festive Flurry, Language of Love, Random Crafts

About 2 years ago I went with some of my favourite people to Art from the Heart to do an Art Doll class with Kate Crane. I had no idea what I was doing but completely fell in love with the process and end result of my fabulous Raggity Alice who is currently on display in our hallway so I see her everyday! At the time I of course bought a packet of paperclay full of intentions of making more art dolls and maybe a range of snowmen for Christmas and decorations and and and …

Well you can imagine if you know me in person, or have read my blog for a while I am not a good finisher!

And of course the paperclay has sat there in my stash not being used for the entire time … But on 12th May that changed! I opened the packet and I used it all … Yes all of it in one go! Mainly because I couldn’t be bothered to get some cling film, and also because I knew I would never get round to using it before it hardened if I didn’t do it all in one go!

So what did I do? Well I did create the pieces for another doll similar to Raggity Alice. I also created some pendant/fob/decorations in simple shapes with stamped impressions. I also used a cake decorating mold I had bought in the sale with some feathers… These are so cute and delicate. Love how they worked. So here they all are drying nicely!

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The first things I started to do something with were the pieces for the rabbit doll … Only 12 days later! (24th May). Not bad for me. First a coat of shell pink acrylic, then some grey (don’t know why but fancied a grey bunny)! At this point I had not decided what to do with the legs, so not painted at all at this point. But I did paint a lovely red colour onto the heart.

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I gave the rabbit another coat of paint later that day and then decided on stripey legs just like Raggity Alice. But decided on blues for these legs instead.

Next I decided to give the rabbit a glaze of crackle glaze. At this point I had only done one side of the body and also stuck the heart in place with glossy accents.

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The next day, a coat of crackle glaze to the back and the legs done, and whilst this dried, took a scrap of fabric to make the dress. This is the simple dress ready to have the drawstring neck done when the glaze is dry.

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Meanwhile… Other pieces of the paperclay got some paint layered on…

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And then normal service resumed and the pieces were not touched at all. And remain so to this day. I live in hope I might actually finish them off one day, or use them for something… But as I’ve held onto this post for months in hope I would finish them, it’s time to post it before the year is out with the reaffirmation that I am officially not a finisher!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Advent calendar number two!

Canvas and Mixed Media art, Decorative Dots, Festive Flurry, Festive Flurry framelits, Modern Ornament Punch, Random Crafts, Sheena Douglass Embossing Folders, Snow Flurry Bigz, Washi tape, Winter Frost

Yes a second advent calendar to share with you… This time the one for my princess.

I used the same 25 Days stamps, but this time the colour scheme matched the Winter frost DSP which I have plenty left over from last year, and I thought would make a Frozen themed advent calendar! I used plenty of die cut snowflakes, some Festive Flurry stamping and some ornaments and circles to mix it up a bit! I also decided against boxes this year. I’ve used the little milk carton boxes the last couple of years, but decided against hanging on the bannister this year. So I picked up these little bags and used them for the base. But how to display them?

Well this is the main thing to share here… I painted a canvas on which to stick the bags.

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This was the first layer of paint, and added some texture paste to add snow drifts and some hints of snow on the tree. I then added stamping with paint on the canvas and then pushed it back again in the sky with another layer of black. Then the star I painted silver, and added some silver dots to the tree.

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So this is the base to the calendar. Next I used some silver washi tape to add each of the little bags, in a tree sort of shape. The idea is that as the bag gets taken off the tree starts to emerge.

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Well this is the idea anyway. The practice is a little different. Unfortunately the washi tape is not doing a brilliant job of keeping the little bags in place! Instead we keep finding them on the floor in the hallway. So tomorrow I think a rethink may have to happen! I suspect that some little bulldog clips may be bought and the bags may end up on the bannister after all! Ah well, at least I get a nice whimsical canvas to look at for a month whilst the Christmas spirit is in the air!

Unfortunately due to manic times at work, our Christmas decorations have not quite made it up yet. I usually have them up on the 1st! They have got as far as in the house from the garage, but no energy tonight to start decorating. Hoping tomorrow I may find some energy after work and make a start!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Colour my Monday! Pool Party!

Festive Flurry, Festive Flurry framelits, Sheena Douglass Embossing Folders, Word Window

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Happy Monday everyone!

Last weeks Colour my Monday was all about the sand … Now it’s time to move poolside!

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I have loved this colour since it was an In Color a few years ago … I have used it so much since! Love love love it!

I decided to play with one of my new embossing folders from Sheena. I inked up the snowflake back ground using Smoky Slate & Pool Party and then added some Perfect Pearls mica to give it plenty of shimmer.

Then I stamped and die cut the Festive flurries stamps in the Pool Party to add as an embellishment.

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Some gem stones, and a sentiment punched using the fab Word Window punch creates a simple but pretty card. Funny to be laying frosty in summer!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Class inspiring card!

Festive Flurry, Papermania stamps

I have no idea really why I created this card other than just because I could! Ha ha! But it has ended up inspiring me for this months ‘class’ with my friends. I say class as I don’t really teach much but instead show them what I’ve done and then they get to play in my house with the same stuff and sometimes create something similar. To be honest the most important thing is for us to get together and have time playing with our crafting stuff … Not really about learning. Anyways! This is the card that inspired me to plan a techniques class to playing with ink which I was due to be holding in a few days time! I say was because I have a clash and can’t host the class anymore… So class is postponed to later in the year but wanted to share the impetus regardless!

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Yes … A Christmas card! On Good Friday too! Really not doing so well at not making them … Although in the defence of this card it is an 8×8 card so will be given to probably my parents as a special card … Definitely not a run of the mill Christmas card!

I started by stamping out the Papermania text background stamp that I got in the sale in the Range using the Archival ink. As I don’t have an acrylic block this big (it’s on the list of things to get at some point) I had to just use my hands to press it down so coverage in some areas was a bit sketchy. I have to say that didn’t matter one jot though as what I then did was spray three colours of Dylusions ink and some water on it and then “splodge” it lots to make the colours blend together. This created a lovely effect … Albeit very bright … For a lovely modern background. I knew the piece needed some kind of edging though so used some Black Soot distress ink and some cut and dry foam to blend it onto the edges of the piece.

I then decided to ink up the Festive Flurry large snowflake stamp with Versamark and heat emboss with white detail powder direct onto the background. This worked really well with the background as the powder is opaque and the colours behind don’t show through.

I then mounted it onto Island Indigo cardstock and created the sentiment tag which I mounted on dimensionals to give it more texture. I heat embossed the sentiment too to make the two features work together.

I finally added bling to the snowflake and mounted it … At an arty jaunty angle onto the card blank.

So so happy with this card … And hope you understand how one little bit of play can have turned out to be quite inspirational!

Happy crafting!

Catherine