Just Me and Them

Frantic Stamper Sampler

After doing the online techniques class by Tim Holtz, I decided to really get into my bits and bobs and have a real play.

At first I had intended on creating a set of drink coasters using some solid canvas squares but by the time I'd finished the first one, so many new ideas had begun that I had to go with them and I ended up with a set of very different coasters - all coated on two layers of clear UTEE to make the, waterproof.

Of course, it didn't help that Sarah decided to take off with one because she liked it so much and so I decided to create a sampler. I mean, why not since an embroiderer can do it - then so can I!!

There are some more photos over at the Frantic Stamper blog, close up photos of each of the tiles. You can see them by following this link.

Sharon

 

Altered Photo Frame

I was recently sent some papers from the new Bo Bunny line called "On the go" and decided to create this photo frame with a couple of the pieces.  

Im not normally one for creating anything to do with boys but since I wanted to create the frame for my nephew, I decided to have a go and loved how it turned out!

I used flower shapes that I cut from grungeboard using my cricut then painted a silver colour before adding a bit of rust coloured paint to add some extra something!  The truck waqs handcut from a section of those awesome papers.

Sharon

Christmas Frame

All week I've been slowly working my way on this project.  I bought the frame months ago for 50 cents at a garage sale with ambitions to make something with it and I finally did it!!

I began by painting the timber frame with gesso then dry brushing a blue paint roughly over it.  I wanted it to have a snowed in kind of feel.  Next I added some cup hooks to each side to tie the ribbon frame around then finally added the chipboard elements and the floral arrangement.

My biggest challenge was deciding whether to make it a decoration or a frame but of course with Christmas still around he corner, I decided to go with a decoration.  I began by pleating a piece of the Magnolia range patterned paper (Blue with silver stars) then added layers of ribbon and lace to this.  The pattern strip isn't as wide as the frame so that I could added a piece of bling card to the background.

Finally, I painted the light silver, cut out a silver scalloped circle and created my centrepiece using Tilda and some Prima swirls!

Here is a couple of close ups of the details ...

Oh and I added a crystal ball to the base of the light - just because it looked pretty!!

I am entering my framed decoration in the following challenges ...

Maggie Lovers - Challenge 2 Christmas :anything but a card 

Magnolia Down Under - Challenge 121 Charms and Bling

Magnolia-Licious - Colour challenge (use photo as inspiration)

Sharon

Anberlin Memory Book

Recently I went to one of my all time favourite bands who were in concert here in Australia!! I've been listening to them for a very long time so it was amazing to see them live. The band are a pretty amazing and very humble group who promised all their fans that they would remain afterwards to meet and sign autographs for everyone willing to wait for the chance. Of course, I had to wait and for it I got my photo taken with the lead singer Stephen Christian who I adore even more now. To commemorate the occasion though, I created this altered book with my signed ticket and photo inside it ... I began by papering the entire cover with scraps of patterned paper, some of which I had rolled the edges on. Next, I added sections of Gesso then polished everything down with a ragged piece of muslin that I had dyed with drops of a ochre and brown fabric dye. I then tore that strip into pieces to form the bows on the binding rings.

Here's what the inside pages look like ...

I decided to cut a section out of the centre of one of the pages to show both sides of my ticket since the band all signed the back of it. I covered each side with a piece of acetate so that my ticket was trapped inside a protective window but unfortunately the front reacted a bit to the glue I used - I guess its just another reminder of why we should always copy everything. Finally, here are a few close-ups of some of the details that I put on the front cover.

Sharon

Wild Orchid - Make it Sparkle Challenge

The next and latest challenge at the Wild Orchid Challenge blog was to create a project that sparkled with stars and glitter and bling!! 

Since I desperately needed to cover a new teaching journal for my program (my current one has only get 3 pages left), I decided to create a coverset for this.  Here it is ...

 

I've used the lace from the Wild Orchid range and crystal stems.  I love the crystal stems from  Wild Orchid because I can colour them easily with Alcohol inks so that they match my work. 

Here are some close-ups of the details on my book ...

 

 

I loved this tiny glittery star frame and I figured it was a perfect touch to frame the school supplies I added to the side of my framed image.

Sharon

Door Hanger

Its Thursday already and I finally found the time to put my challenge entry up.  This time around, I'm entering this one in two different challenges!!

Firstly, I'm entering it into the Magnolia Down Under challenge which was to create an item with Texture.

Secondly, I want to enter it in the Magnolia-Licious challenge which was to use a photo as inspiration.  I used the same colours for my door hanger and included a bow on the bottom to tie in with the bow on the bottom of the bag's handle.  Even though the photo was of a bag, I thought I was still creating an item that 'hangs' in the same way a bag does!!

Heres what it looks like -

 

The centre section is actually a set of tags that are interchangeable.  This is the first tag - which will definately get the most use from my daughter.  Here is the second tag -

 

and finally, here is the door hanger with each of the tags out -

There are heaps of features that I added to my door hanger to fulfill the adding 'texture' challenge.  Here is some close ups of these -

 
 
 
 
 

Well, thats it for me.  I'm off to see Em sing at her High School concert!!

Sharon

MDUC - Add Butterflies Challenge

This weeks challenge at Magnolia Downunder was to create a project that featured butterflies.  Ironically I bought a little box type bag yesterday to do up for Ems room so the challenge worked well for me.

I began by covering the whole thing with patterned papers - inside and out.  I then added a rows of bobble trim to the outer edge and the inside lip to finish them off. 

Here is what my project looks like -

 

Its been such a warm day today that I couldn't resist tqking it outside to photograph in the sun!!  The white background section was really hard to photograph well but its one of the Marianne Designables folders, matted with a silver glitter paper.

Heres a side view -

 

and finally an inside view -

 
 

I've kept it really simple inside so Em has plenty of room to store her bits and bobs.

Sharon

MDUC - 3D Challenge

When I read what this weeks challenge was to create I was ever so excited because I knew what I wanted to create.

Last Christmas holidays when we had or beach holiday, I found a very worn piece of hard wood planking that had washed up with the tide.  I fell in love with this bit of wood and carried for ages until we got back to where we were staying.  That was awhile ago now but I've had plans for it in the back of my head to be a key holder and I finally acted on them!!

I spent and hour to begin with in Matts shed.  I began (after a hunt for everything I needed) by hammering in 6 black hand made tacks along the bottom edges to act as key holders then drilled two holes at the top to thread thick wire through to create a handle.

 

I then decorated to my hearts content.  Everything turned out exactly how I had imagined it - which was fabulous! 

 
 
Its hard to see in this photo but the centre section has been hand coloured and then stamped with a silver scale stamp to kind of reproduce what I thought the mermaids skin might look like. 

The chicken wire is actually a chipboard ware that I got for the amazing Dusty Attic range.

Here is a close up fo the chipboard and the flowers side -

 

In addition to all the 3D elements I used to complete my key holder I also used Paper Tolle effects to complete my mermaid and the sea post just to her right. 

 

I used to love doing Paper Tolle work.  I love the cutting details and the use of just a few simple tools to bring something to life.  For my project I only used the ball tool to curve the edges so that the mermaid Tilda had a more realistic 3D feel to her.

Sharon

Magnolia Down Under Challenge : Using Acetate and/or transparency

I'm finally back again and have my next challenge bits and bobs finished. But first a bit of a story... You see my best friend bought me a plane ticket to Melbourne for my birthday (it's not for another month but I know early, to save for the shopping I intend to do lol).
that's why I had to have a bit of a chuckle when I saw the challenge because I'd been planning to make a new set of luggage tags for myself and the use of acetate would be perfect!
Here is the front side of the tag -

I painted the edges with a gold liquid leafing then before it was dry, dusted it with a gold perfect pearls powder. The powder really aged the acetate sheet to add a real age feel to the tag.
Here is the back -





For the back I used a piece of a Prima clearly printable to add the design and flowers and lace as well. The interior section has been colored with 3 different blue shades from the distress inks range.
On the front side I daubed a random space with a pearlescent white paint to form a cloud then then spritzer the whole pice with a silver shimmer spray. On the back side I stamped the brackets that I will be writing my details within.
But... The crafting didn't stop there because I then also made a travel diary to take with me. Here is the front cover -





It's hard to see in the photo but between the white card bubbles there are also clear dimensional ones as well.
Here are the inside pages -


















I created my diary with pages that vary in length to kind of step out to the full width of the book and then 3 pocket pages in the rear for memorabilia. My hotel booking sheet is already sticking out of one of the pockets in the photo now!
Sharon

Updated

Today I found this awesome iPad app. It's called Dropbox and it involves installing a program on my laptop that enables me to access a free online storage. It only has a 2gb file size but that's fine by me because I can use it to move files and photos between my iPad and my computer. One of the biggest limitations I have found with my iPad has been the connecting it to the computer then using iTunes to download and print but with this app all I have to do is upload then I can actually access the files anywhere from my home computer to a friends or even at work - anywhere where there is Internet access!! I'm loving it already!
I've been using my time lately to try and catch up on some things. Things like sharing pages and things I created awhile ago and never got around to sharing. Like these pages ...

Then the is also these digi pages that I created during some of my Jessica Sprague classes ...

Then finally there is this quote frame that. I created awhile back ...

So that's it. I have more to share but I really need to finish off editing the photos first!