Saturday, November 22, 2014

Non-Traditional Christmas Colours - Vintage Style


It is time for the new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow and this time we are calling it VINTAGE CHRISTMAS CARDS with a twist - NON-TRADITIONAL COLOURS.

This card was super simple to make and I think it is flat enough that it won't require extra postage.  I started my card with some kraft card stock from Recollections and then added some patterned paper from Farm House Paper Company.  I distressed the background (and everything else) with my scissors and inked the edges with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink from Ranger

I added a panel of white corrugated cardboard from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and another panel made from Tim Holtz Color Core card stock that I embossed with an embossing folder called Budding Vine from Craft Concepts.

Next came some crochet lace from my sewing stash, a vintage image that was a freebie from Linda, The Funkie Junkie and a ticket from The Beary Scrap.  I made a loopy bow from twine and topped it with another loopy bow made from seam binding dyed with Forest Moss Distress Ink.  Finally I added some buttons from my stash.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

A Gift From The Heart

It is time for a new challenge at Frilly and Funkie and I am the hostess this time so I decided it was time to make some Christmas gifts.  The challenge is called A GIFT FROM THE HEART and we want to see vintage or shabby chic projects that can be given as a gift.


I decided to make a very shabby fabric journal for a friend.  Here is a photo of the back:


And here is the inside:


This is a new sew journal and I made it by first cutting two layers of a heavy white damask fabric from my sewing stash (leftovers from making Christmas stockings a few years ago) and sandwiched a layer of felt batting in between using paper backed iron-on fusible webbing on each side with one side slightly larger than the felt so that the fabric stuck together around the felt.  This is important since the layers are not sewn together and the edges of the fabric can fray.  As you can see I did not cover the edges of the fabric inside and if they do fray a bit, it will just add to the shabby feel. 

The next step was to make the pages from white 24 lb. bond paper.  Each page was scored on the left side and holes were punched.  The pages were then sewn into the journal with embroidery floss going through the back, the pages and the front from the top to the bottom and back up again.  The embroidery floss was then tied off on the outside but since the whole journal was going to be covered, this does not show and to ensure that I put a piece of lace down the spine.

Next I created the heart, which is just some scrap paper from a Maja Designs pack called Coffee in the Arbor that I scrunched up and steamed over and over to make it soft and pliable.  I did not want to wet it because it could shred.  Once it was soft enough I hand cut a heart, inked it with some Milled Lavender Distress Ink and backed it with a felt heart cut slightly smaller.  I cut a motif from some Venise lace and added it to the heart along with a flat backed pearl.

The next step was to add a strip of seam binding across the middle of the back which extended beyond the edge to become part of the tying mechanism and then cover the journal with lengths of lace, crochet ribbon and appliques - some came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and some from my sewing stash.  The idea was to add different types, sizes and patterns  Then I added some flowers and buttons along with a couple loops of pearl strand.  The  rolled flower was made from a torn strip of fabric, one of the flowers was made from crinoline and cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  The rest of the flowers were from my stash but I used a Copic marker to add some colour to the ones that didn't have any.  The "flower" on the top right of the front is actually a piece cut from some lace.  The heart on the back is a Venise Lace applique from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Next I made a crinkly, loopy bow with long tails from seam binding and attached it to the front to match up with the piece on the back so the journal can be tied shut.  Finally I stamped text on a piece of twill tape and added it to the front and then I added some fun things to hang down the spine - some of the pearl strand, a piece of lace, a length of chunky wool and some fiber I found in my stash (I don't know what it is called but it is quite cool with spiky strands hanging from it).

I am going to enter this project in the following challenges:

All Crafts Challenge - Anything Goes But No Cards
Craft-Dee Bowz - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Corrosive Challenges - Girly
Tando Creative Challenges - Make Something With A Use
Allsorts Challenge - Anything But A Card

The following items used in the creation of this journal came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Making Rust

Recently I went looking through my stash of completed cards to see if I had an appropriate one to send to my brother for his birthday and I found one - I mean only one in a box of maybe 100 cards.  I decided then and there I better make a few more cards for men so I wasn't scrambling at the last minute when the need for one arose.

The timing was rather perfect because then I could play in the current challenge at The Artist Trading Post Exchange challenge blog where they want mixed media projects based on a photo that looks like rusted metal.  The challenge is called Any Old Iron and I think my card fits the bill.


I decided to try my hand at turning white card stock into something that looked rusty and after searching on the internet for techniques I settled on one from Gingersnap Creations but gave it a few of my own twists.


As I said I started with a large sheet of white card stock.  Then I covered it with Mod Podge, making sure it was quite thick.  Next I randomly sprinkled sand on it, which I snagged from some my husband had in the garage for use on the driveway when it gets really icy.  I originally put a thin coat of Mod Podge on with a credit card but the sand didn't stick so if you try this, make sure to glop it on and then the sand will settle into the glue.  I then set it aside to dry overnight.

Once it was fully dry, I took a stenciling brush and randomly smooshed on four colours of Folk Art craft paint - Pure Black, Coffee Bean, Charcoal Grey and Terra Cotta.  I dipped my brush in combinations of the first three colours for the most part and only added the Terra Cotta for small sections.

Once the paint was dry I mixed Meadow, Aqua and Copper Mixative Adirondack Alcohol Inks and dabbed that on in random spots.  Then I rubbed here and there with some Oxynite Treasure Gold.  Finally I added a slightly thinned out coat of Mod Podge to make sure the sand stayed put.  The end result was a fairly stiff but still a bit flexible rusty looking sheet.


Next I made a metal foil panel.  Again I started with a piece of white card stock and added some bits of drywall tape, some ric rac and a few washers.  Then I cut small pieces of foil tape used in the heating and air conditioning industry and added them in both directions to cover the card stock and the bits and pieces.  I used an embossing tool to go around everything and then some Walnut Hollow metal working tools to create texture and pattern.

The next step was to give the whole thing a coat of the Coffee Bean paint and wipe away some of it, leaving some paint in the recesses of the piece.  Next I added a blended combination of Rust, Ginger and Caramel Adirondack Alcohol Ink to the whole piece and then followed that up with the Meadow, Aqua and Copper Mixative combination in a few spots.

An image from the Tim Holtz Time Traveler stamp set and a sentiment from the Tim Holtz Simple Sayings stamp set were stamped onto some scrap card stock with Ranger's Jet Black Archival ink.  The sentiment was cut apart and then I sponged the edges of all the stamped pieces with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink from Ranger.

All that was left was to glue everything down on a card blank made from some Bazzill card stock.  Finally I added some rusty pieces of hardware - two screw heads and another thing that I have no idea what it is but it looked cool when I dug it out of the jar.

I have started making my Christmas list for Santa and putting copies everywhere.  Besides lots of crafting supplies, I want a good photo setup - the weather has been up and down here and so has the quality of my photos.  I sure hope Santa realizes that I have been a really good girl this past year :)

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Artist Trading Post Exchange - Any Old Iron
The Paper Girls - Mixed Media
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo/Color Inspiration
Suzy Bee's Challenge - Anything Goes with a twist to make it male
Stamplorations - Stamps and Layers
Mixed Media Monthly Challenge  - Stamps

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Christmas Recycling


It is time for a new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow and we are calling it Recycling or Re-purposing.  We want to see vintage or shabby chic projects where you have used a recycled item or you have used an item meant for a different purpose (re-purposing).



I have created another ornament for my Christmas tree from a used CD.  My husband brought a pile home from his work a couple years ago and asked if I could do anything with them - well yes.   I got my husband to drill two holes opposite each other and then started gluing strips of music paper on one side.  After they were dry, I punched the holes again.  Then I glued the music paper to the other side and re-punched the holes.  If you glue the paper to both sides before punching the holes, you won't know where to find them - something I learned the hard way with the first CD ornament I made.

After the glue was dry I inked it lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Ink from Ranger and then dabbed on some Wendy Vecchi Gold Embossing Paste.

I printed the vintage Santa from Magpie on the House and fussy cut it before I glued it to the ornament.  Next I raided my Christmas creating stash for some Christmas greenery that I frosted with a bit of snow (a.k.a. styrofoam shavings), a little pine cone and some red and white berries.

The poinsettia was made using a Marianne Creatables die from paper that I dabbed with craft paint and a natural sea sponge before I cut the pieces.  After the pieces were cut, I inked them all with Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Distress Ink and then added Forest Moss Distress Ink to one.  I used a Copic marker to define the veins.  Then I added some beads from my stash for the centre.

The hanger is some red seam binding from my sewing closet with a button from a warehouse in Fancy Gap, Virginia added to cover the top hole. I made some bead charms for the bottom and hung them from some gold chain.

Saturday Step X Step

It is my turn to present the Saturday Step X Step at Frilly and Funkie and here is a sneak peek at what I created.  Pop over there to find out what it is and how I did it.


Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Mixed Media Christmas Ornament

The new monthly challenge begins today at The Mirror Crack'd.  This is a mixed media challenge blog and this time we want to see a Christmas Decoration.  Remember, no cards are allowed.

I made this ornament for my own tree, which is decorated in primarily red and gold with a few white elements.


This ornament started as a styrofoam ball - novel idea, right?  I kicked it up a notch by gluing small pieces cut from a paper napkin.  The napkin was a two-ply one so I really had to lay the glue on thick.  I found Mod Podge worked best.  If I had separated the plys and just used the patterned one, it would have shredded so it was best to use it as is.  One tip is to set it in the top of a wide mouthed drinking glass while you work because if you handle it too much, the napkin wants to come off on your hand.  Also make sure you move it around as it dries (I used my heat gun to speed up the process) or it will stick to the edge of the glass.  I had a couple tiny spots that I had to adjust at the end but it was easy.

Once it was all dry, I added some vertical strips of lace, metallic mesh ribbon and soutache braid, all of which came from my sewing room.  Then I created some some oval and circular panels from foil tape that is used in the heating and air conditioning industry.  The pieces were cut using a couple of Spellbinders dies, embossed with an embossing folder from Craft Concepts called Budding Vine, then painted with a mixture of two red craft paints and highlighted with Classic Gold Treasure Gold wax paste. The oval pieces were added around the top and the circular one was added to the bottom.

I also re-coloured two filigree pieces with Cranberry Adirondack alcohol ink blended with Gold Mixative and added those to the two strips with lace.  Large pearl stickers from Recollections were added to the oval embossed pieces and to the two filigree pieces.

Finally I made a loopy bow for the top from ribbon I picked up at Michaels  with a pearl stick pin that I picked up at Excelsior Wholesale on a visit to England and then added some beads from Arton Bead Supply to another stick pin for the bottom.

I hope you will join us and show us your mixed media Christmas Decoration.

Bloom

It is time for a new challenge at Frilly and Funkie and this time we want to see vintage or shabby chic projects in the style of Wendy Vecchi so we are calling it It's All About Wendy. You can check out her wonderful art at her blog - just click here.


I created a card with lots of stenciling and stamping but added a couple frilly touches since I am on the frilly side of the team. 

I used some Recollections card stock for my blank and then I created the background by using a brayer to layer on some of Wendy's Dandelion and Cornflower Blue Archival Ink.  I masked off a section on the bottom and stenciled the top using her Polka Dotty stencil with Orange Blossom Archival Ink and the Dots and Stripes Border Stencil with some Cornflower Blue Archival Ink.  Next I reversed the mask and stamped the bottom with the Vintage Wallpaper background stamp and some Red Geranium Archival Ink.

I glued some old book pages to card stock and stamped a flower from the Daisy Art stamp set.  Then I cut the flower head and the leaves out.  The flower head was inked with Red Geranium Archival Ink and the leaves were inked with Olive Archival Ink.  I gave them a coat of slightly watered down Mod Podge to give them a little sheen and then added some gold seed beads to the centre of the flower head.  I stamped the flower again on the background and added the flower head and leaves with some adhesive foam to pop them up.

Next I painted a metal butterfly with some copper paint and highlighted the body with some Aquamarine Texture Gold wax paste.  I swiped a strip of seam binding with some Orange Blossom Archival Ink and layered it on top of a strip of red burlap ruffling it along a strip of double sided tape.  The little flowers were cut from a scrap of venise lace and dyed with Orange Blossom Archival Ink.  I added some gems from the dollar store and a computer generated sentiment to finish off my Wendy style card.

The following items used to create this card came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique: