Star Struck with New Tonic Studios Die Sets

 

Hi Everyone

MJ is back up and running and hoping her mojo kicks into full swing this week for you all..lol xx

It’s a very exciting week with Tonic Studios launching new layering dies (on Create and Craft on Thursday 19th March as a One Day Wonder event) and three gorgeous new strip dies….something a little different in this bundle!  You’ll see as the week progresses as MJ shows you her projects using them. 

The first projects, and it’s a wee sneak peek, MJ has used the Star Layering Die Set.  She has so many ideas (and when doesn’t she) on how to use these!  I’m sure you’ll see these pop up time after time.

Star Layered Card….

MJ cut six 6” x 6” squares of coloured card and one 6 1/2” square.  Starting with the largest star die she placed it into the centre of the square to create an aperture.  Using this first cut piece as a guide to centre the next size down she continued to cut each of the smaller squares.  Then she glued these layers together and then cut the smallest star into the 6 1/2” piece of card and glued all pieces to card blank. 

To finish the card MJ cut a sentiment out and the word ‘son’, some extra small stars and added Crystal drops.

 

 

Daughter Star Card….

MJ wanted to create a card for a teenage (or inbetweenager!) and thought the stars would be great for this.  She used the stars that were cut from the first project and ran them through various embossing folders.  No waste!

MJ has stated with a 7” x 7” card blank. She then stamped a piece of red card cut at 6 1/2” x 6 1/2” and added to card front.  The image is from Indigoblu’s new range of stamps designed by Kay Halliwell-Sutton which was coloured using alcohol pens. 

The stars were attached across front of card and the word ‘daughter’ was cut twice and offset to give shadow effect..  MJ used 3D foam to adhere the word and the stamped image.  To finish she added some pearls.

 

 

What Was Used

Tonic Studios Star Layering Die Set – 528E

Tonic Studios Family Members Die Set 2 – 607E

Tonic Studios Reach for the Stars Frame Sentiment Set – 27E

Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops – Wedgewood Blue – 660N

Indigoblu Stamps – Lost in Thought – IND0132PC

Paperartsy Mini Stamp – MN72

Archival Ink Black/Alcohol Pens

 

Please tune in to Create and Craft TV on Thursday 19th March for lots of inspiration, hints and tips with the lovely Jo Austin.

We hope you have been inspired.

Thanks

for

Popping By

xx

Canvas with Heartfelt Creations Papers, Distress Paints, Stencils and Modelling Paste

Hi Everyone

Sorry it’s been a while since our last post but things have been a bit hectic!  But we are here today to share a project MJ made with a cheap canvas, some scraps of pretty papers and ‘stuff’ from here crafting chaos of a work room!..lol 

So here it is – it’s deeper in colour than the photo shows but as usual MJ says that’s down to her rubbish photography skills!

What MJ Used: -

30cm x 40cm Canvas

Heartfelt Creations 12” x 12” Paper Pad – Aster

IndigoBlu Slap It On – Matte

MaiMeri Light Modelling Paste

Selection of Stencils

Distress Paints – Antique Linen, Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry Picket Fence

 

What MJ Did: -

1. Take a selection of matching papers and randomly tear into pieces (great for using scraps up).  Glue to canvas with the Slap It On (or a Matte Gel Medium) until the area is covered.  Make it as random as possible to create texture.  Leave to dry.
2. Using the modelling paste and stencils create texture across the canvas in random areas.  MJ used 6 different stencils in all.  When happy with design leave to dry.
3. Then use the Distress Paints to colour over the background.  You can tone down the colours with additional water while the paint is wet but once dry it is permanent.  Picket Fence is great for white washing areas too.  Leave to dry.
4. Next MJ created a dress form and dress template using her Silhouette Cameo.
5. To create the skirt layers draw around the skirt template twice, place the pieces together and cut into 4 or 5 pieces.  Then starting from the left-hand side glue the pieces onto dress shape leaving the left side of the panels unglued.  This will create the kick on the panels.
6. Trace around the bodice part of dress onto your chosen paper and stick on.  Create a belt from either paper or ribbon (this will cover the joins). 
7. Edge around dress with black archival ink.  Bend the pleats up and then brush across these with archival ink too. This way it doesn’t look too dark and just adds definition.
8. Glue dress form shape onto canvas and add dress on top adding some shape before gluing into position.
9. To finish the project MJ cut flowers out from the papers she had and added to canvas.  If you have flower dies then these would be prefect.  MJ loves the Heartfelt Creations floral dies.  The last thing she did was go around the outside edges of the canvas with a little black arcylic.

We hope you have been inspired.

Thanks for Popping By

xx

Grunge Clock Project using Silhouette Cameo

 

Hi Everyone

MJ is on holidays believe it or not, and has been playing with her crafty stash.  Out came her Cameo (mind you it's always out!) and away she went!

She used a 6 x 6 clock and cog cut file that she purchased from the Silhouette store and enlarged it to 26cm x 26cm to make a largish piece for her kitchen.

MJ cut each layer 3 times from 250gsm plain white cardstock mounting the layers together to form chipboard-like pieces.

   

Next, she painted it with 2 coats of IndigoBlu Gee-So Good in black.  Once dry MJ added a mixture of Maimeri Bronze (475) and Deep Gold (151) paint.  Again once dry she used Pebeo Gilding wax in Empire Gold.

 

 

Not entirely happy with the colour, and after welcomed advice from the wonderful Eileen Godwin, more black gesso was dry brushed onto the background areas.  This added shade and made it stand out more.

 

 

All that is left to do now is add the clock mechanism and hands.
 

This clock will sit in a box frame to finish and then hung on MJ’s kitchen wall.  She says ‘it’ll fill a gap!’…lol

We hope you have been inspired.

Thanks for popping by

Xx

Tarmac MDF Plaque using Karen Clare’s Technique

 

Hi Everyone

MJ recently attended a wonderful workshop in Coventry with the lovely Karen Clare where she learnt the Tarmac Technique.  Today we are giving you a brief overview of it for you.

We are lucky that Karen is coming to present this workshop at Dandie Crafts in September and we can’t wait!  Please pop over to her blog for look you’ll be pleased you did. Just click on her name above.

MJ has been playing around with an old MDF shelf from a dismantled shelving in her craft room.  She was wanted to make her OH a plaque to hang in his garage alongside the love of his life – his 1959 Lambretta!  She tried to replicate the oil patches that are all over the garage so didn’t want the colours to blend too much.  MJ isn’t sure she quite got the look she was after but it was close enough as her OH won’t notice it anyway…lol

MJ started off with the old shelf and gave it coat of IndigoBlu  Gee-Sso Good! (white) – it’s a great product with a good consistency.  The black gesso in this range is brilliant for coverage too.  Great for doing the chalkboard stamped effects that are popular still at the moment.

 

 

Next she used a selection of embossing folders and white card and then cut into different sized pieces and glued them to the shelf….ooops…she meant to say…MDF plaque..lol

 

 

Then using her Silhouette Cameo she cut out lettering and shapes to suit her project and added them to her base.

 

 

Then the messy bit….MJ painted the base using acrylics (as that is the best option she had available at home). 

 

 

Oooooooo she then coated it with the magical tar solution (hee hee) and left to dry.  After this she removed the colour until she was happy with the result (well almost happy with the result…she’s never confident at the end!).  To finish her project she applied some gilding wax.

 

What MJ Used

Embossalicious Folder – Script, Watches, Knit One Purl One

Darice Embossing Folder – Squares, Wood Grain, Basket Weave

Acrylic Paints – Permanent Red, Phthalo Blue

Pebeo – Silver Gilding Wax

Silhouette Cameo –  to cut die cuts

 

We hope you have been inspired.

Thanks for Popping By

xx

Boadicea’s Ghost with IndigoBlu, Texture Paste, Archival Inks and Stencil

 

Hi Everyone

Today MJ has been playing with her IndigoBlu ‘Boadicea’ stamp plate.  She was trying to create a ghost-like appearance using coloured Archival Inks.

MJ loves to play around with texture paste and as usual loves to get inky messy too!  So she managed to combine the two today and is a happy bunny (husband is not so happy as she disappeared into her craft room for the duration..lol).

Sorry the piccie does not show very well the vibrancy of the red/orange hues brought out by the deep blue surround.  MJ did say that she wished she had smoothed the edges out a little more.  But she’ll do that next time.

See below for details of project.

 

What MJ Did:-

1. Firstly, spread some texture paste thinly in centre of card and lightly dry.  It still needs to be soft for stamping into.  Take Boadicea stamp and light spritz with water, then stamp into paste.  Left off, clean stamp immediately in water, and dry with a heat tool.
2. Then take a selection of Archival inks and blend ink over the stamped image.  MJ highlighted the face and hair areas using her Spectrum Noir Pens; TN2 around hairline and BGR1 in hair areas.  She also added accents to head dress too.
3. Next take the wording stencil and spread texture paste across areas you choose to.   Wash paste off stencil immediately.  Dry project with heat tool.  Using Archival ink finally colour around outside edges and over some of the text.
4. Mount onto card.

 

 

What MJ Used: -

IndigoBlu ‘Boadicea’ Stamp

Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks – Orange Blossom, Red Geranium, Fern Green and Cornflower Blue

Crafters Workshop 6” x 6” Stencil – Mini Art Is

Spectrum Noir Pens – TN2 and BGR1

Maimeri Light Modelling Paste

We hope you been inspired.

Thanks for Popping By

xxx

Lavinia Zen Tree Stamp, Light Modelling Paste and Kroma Crackle

 

Hi Everyone

MJ thought she was being really lazy and not posting something!…lol

So she decided to do a really quick and easy project for you using one of her favourite Lavinia Stamps – the Zen Tree.

 

What MJ Did

1. Take a card tag or similar and apply a very light scraping of light modelling paste.  Try not to cover the entire tag evenly as you want it to get some uneven texture.
2. Dry the paste with a heat tool.
3. Next take the Kroma Crackle and spread it thinly but evenly across the entire tag and dry as before.  The Krackle will turn white as it is drying.
4. Once dried completely use Archival inks in Potting Soil, Cornflower Blue, Red Geranium to add colour to the background and then Orange Blossom over all the colours to blend.  Dry.
5. Using Black Archival ink stamp the Lavinia ‘Zen Tree’ design centrally on tag base.  Dry.
6. Then add colour with pens (MJ used Spectrum Noir carefully so that she did not run into the Black Archival).
7. With a White Pen-Touch pen (0.7mm) add dot highlights on stamped image.
8. Finally using the Red Geranium ink go around the edges to finish.

 

 

What MJ Used

Maimeri Light Modelling Paste

Kroma Crackle – IndigoBlu

Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks –

Potting Soil, Cornflower Blue, Red Geranium and Orange Blossom

Spectrum Noir Pens – GB1, DG4 and DR6

Sakura Pen-Touch White (0.7mm) Opaque Pen

 

We hope you have been inspired.

 

Thanks for Popping By

xx

Marianne Dies – Crafters Companion – Create and Craft 8th September 2013

Hi Everyone

Today I would like to share a couple of card samples using the gorgeous Marianne Die collections.  These dies are so intricate and beautiful that they make artists of us all!

I loved using the Kitchen Set together with the Circle and Flower – Stitch die set, and the Parchment and Label set.  In this sample I have also used the fabulous Romantic Journey Paper block and IndigoBlu stamps for the backgrounds (Honeycomb, Crackle and Script).





In this second project I used the Circle and Flower – Stitch and the Heart is from a Marianne Collectables set.  Once again the Romantic Journey paper block has been used. I loved the soft colours of this paper.  I used PanPastels Tints to shade the flowers for a really pretty soft finish.




Please join Crafters Companion on 8th September where they will be bringing Marianne Designs to Create and Craft.  The Design Team has been working hard making lots of cards and projects to inspire you.  You will find them hard to resist. 

I am sure they are going to fly so make sure you tune in and get yours while they still have the stock.

We hope you have been inspired.

 

Thanks for Popping By

xx

Stylised Flowers–Beginners Stamping Project

Hi Everyone

Mandy-Jane was chatting with a stamping ‘newbie’ this week who was saying that they were nervous of stamping?  So she was inspired by a recent visit to IndigoBlu and has done this very basic stamping project that does not require nerves of steel…lol

 

Let’s get together all the ingredients you will need to have a bash at this project.

You will need: -

• IndigoBlu Stamp – Stylised Flowers – SFL
• Slim Jim’s or acrylic block to fit stamp
• Black Archival Ink Pad
• Distress Inks – Salty Ocean, Squeezed Lemonade and Picked Raspberry
• Dandie Crafts - Smooth White Card
• Black Card
• Blue Core’dinations Card Stock
• Go Kreate Small Circle Dies

Are you ready?  Here we go!

• Make a card blank measuring 18.5cm x 15cm.
• Cut black card to 14.5cm x 18cm and adhere to centre front of card blank.
• Cut white card to 11cm x 15cm – this is our stamping card.
• Place stamp onto block and carefully ink whole of image, stamp it in the centre of the white card piece.

 

• On a piece of scrap card die cut a 1 3/4” circle (or if you have a punch use that).

• Using the negative of your die cut and the Distress Inks colour through this like a stencil with an Ink Duster Brush/blending tool or sponges on top of each image until you are happy with the colours.

• Mount your stamped panel on a piece of blue card cut to 11.5cm x 15.5cm.  Adhere this panel to the centre front of your card.
• Using the stamp and archival ink open your card and stamp part of the image in the bottom right-hand corner.

• Use a White Gel pen to highlight details if you wish to.

There you go a very simple project that you can add your own finishing touches to.


We hope you have been inspired.

 

 

Thanks for popping

by

xx