Vintage decor

I've not had much creative time this week as the In-Laws have been visiting, but I did have time to create a couple of little decor projects. This first one I created as a thank you gift for my Aunt.

I decorated this mini wreath for her, using some flowers, a sticker sentiment and lots of my favourite seam binding.

The little bird cage was stamped, shaded with Copics and then I gave it a little coating of stickles and topped it off with a baker's twine bow. I am finding it increasingly difficult to create anything without adding baker's twine!

 

I don't know if I am really slow in catching on to this tip, but you know those little anti-static bags you can buy to stop things like glitter and embossing powder from 'sticking' to your projects where they're not wanted? Well, I discovered that if you rub one onto the back of a sticker, it stops it from being sticky and you can use it mre like a die-cut. I knew you could do that with baby powder, but never realised I could use my anti-stiatic bag. Duh! It's a lot less messy! ;)

This is a small canvas that I created with 2 intentions. Firstly, I've not made a new decor item for my living room in a while and, secondly, I wanted to try a new background technique.

To create my background I painted it with a generous layer of gesso, and then ripped up some pieces of a vintage sewing pattern. I scrunched them a little bit before pressing them into the gesso and then painted over them again with more gesso. I then painted a coat of Mod Podge over the top to make sure it was all sealed, then took a script text stamp and stamped it randomly over the background using StazOn ink. I tried to ink the stamp unevenly and make the impression lighter in some places than others, to give it a weathered look.

I really like the effect and can see me using it often! I also painted this little metal frame, and a vintage bingo number with the gesso. I love the look of metal painted white, and almost any metal items I use in my crafting end up painted before they're allowed on the page! Oh, and I spy a little more baker's twine on there ;) I do have to give a little shout out to a store I found recently, The Ribbon Girl. I'd never used her before but I ordered one afternoon and it arrived the very next day, beautifully packaged. She has a gorgeous selection of seam binding and baker's twine. And no, she's not paying me to say that, LOL, I have no idea who she is! 

Anyway, I have to run and get the little dude ready to go out. Grandma and Grandad are taking him out to buy some pet goldfish. Not sure how they will get on with the cat!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Designer Friday!

It's one of my favourite times of the month today - the day I get to share some Precocious Paper yumminess! This month I had the pleasure of working with the June Sampler, 'Summertime'.

Here are a couple of layouts I made with the June Sampler. Isn't it luscious? There are more projects on the Precocious Paper blog along with a special Memorial Weekend offer!

My little man :)

 And me, back when I was in the Brownies, dressed as a sailor for a carnival parade. You know, back in the days when it was OK to stick a bunch of children on the open back of a lorry and nobody worried about it. And as far as I recall, nobody I knew fell off or got hurt. Now our carnival parade is a few kids walking round a field. Not quite as festive, huh?

I hope you like them. Make sure you visit Tessa's blog to see the special offer she has going on this weekend!

More Core'dinations layouts

We had a great time with our blog swap last week, and I have a few more layouts to share with you today created with Teresa Collins On The Edge and the "Core'dinating" (sorry!) cardstock line!

Here I used one of the On The Edge chipboard album covers as a base for my photo, and tucked my journaling behind it.

This layout was created to document a special place we recently discovered - my journaling was added after taking the photos as I need to keep it a secret :)

A totally 'boy' layout, moody teenager face (my goodness, he's only 8!) and all!

There are lots more beautiful projects over on the TC DT blog too if you're looking for a bit more Core'dinations inspiration!

Layouts, blog swaps and Cricut cartridges!

Hello! I've been MIA this week as the computer with all my project photos on it had a bit of a 'blip'! I really need to learn to be a bit kinder to my laptop, especially when I rely on it so heavily!.

Have you signed up to receive the Teresa Collins Designs newsletter yet? If you have, you'll have seen these 2 layouts from me already, created with the Notations album kit. If not, go and sign up! The girls have made some GORGEOUS albums with the kit, as well as some layouts.

Teresa Collins Designs Notations – Alpha stickers and die-cuts

Teresa Collins Designs Notations II – Die-cut frame

Teresa Collins Designs Posh – Trims

Also used: 5 White paper roses. Black die-cut scallop cardstock, cream cardstock, blue and dark gray glimmer mist, black inkpad re-inker, black ink pad, black journaling pen, adhesive, Cricut Expression, Cricut Cake Cartridge.

 

Instructions

Preparing your page components:

1. Cut the following pieces from your supplies:

• 10” circle from cream cardstock (I cut mine using my Cricut Expression and Cake Basics cartridge.

• Trim the lined journaling die-cut from your notations kit to the right size for your journaling.

2. Using a paintbrush, paint your large die-cut frame using the blue glimmer mist

3. Adhere your photo behind the frame.

4. Spritz some blue glimmer mist onto the cream cardstock circle, and also drip some spots of black re-inker direct from the dropper.

5. Adhere your cream circle to the black die-cut cardstock

6. Draw a black circle about ¾” in from the outside edge of the cream circle

7. Colour 3 of your white roses with blue mist and 2 with dark gray.

8. Ink edges with black ink and attach ‘NOTED’ tab to the side of your journal card

 

Assembling your page:

1. Arrange your framed photo and journaling card next to each other towards the right side of your page.

2. Stick down your journal card and then attach your frame using 3D foam adhesive.

3. Trim the ‘remember’ tab in half and adhere, overlapping, on the right side of the frame.

4. Trim an individual bloom from the black rose ‘Posh’ trim and adhere it, with a blue rose, beneath the remember tabs.

5. Cut another black rose from the trim and adhere it to the left of the frame, beneath the journal card. Also adhere the remaining paper roses in the same area.

6. Add your title above the journal card and write in your journaling to finish off the page.

This next page I had a lot of fun on with my mists and paints. Ahhh, wasn't I cute? ;)

Teresa Collins Designs Timeless - Notations Album Kit

Teresa Collins Designs Sports Edition II - Red stars paper side B

Other: Glimmer mist, gesso, paper edge distresser​, Copic Markers, canvas flower, plastic flower.

 

I trimmed the SE II paper to 10"x10", distressed the edges and sprayed liberally with 3 shades of brown glimmer mist. I then spread a thin layer of Gesso in a random way with a credit card around the area of the page that my photo and embellishm​ents would sit on. Finally I removed the lids of 2 shades of orange glimmer mist and made some large splatters. I then soaked up the excess with a paper towel, and the Gesso acts as a resist to give texture to the darker areas. Then I distressed the edges and coloured areas of the clock die-cut with Copic markers, and also dyed the canvas flower with Copics.

OK... and there's more! Teresa's Cricut Imagine cartridges are available to buy now at cricut.com! Word has it that Black and White is sold out already, but they should be back in stock on Monday. I know there are a lot of you out there waiting for this release, so scoot on over and grab yours. They will only be available on the Cricut website at the moment.

And finally - it's the final day of the TC and Core'dinations blog swap! There are prizes to be had so stop by our DT blog, Teresa's blog and/or the Coredinations blog to find out how to get in on the action!

Phew, I think I covered everything! I'm off to visit my nan tomorrow which will be nice - we haven't been down since before Christmas. Seriously, where has this year gone?! Then I have a creative day planned for Sunday. What do you have planned for the weekend? Whatever it is, have a good one!

Core'dinations Blog Swap

This week the Teresa Collins DT are having a blog swap with Core'dinations! It's day 1 today and there are some gorgeous projects over on the Core'dinations blog using the Teresa Collins Core Amor cardstock.

I am also sharing this layout with a tutorial on the TC DT blog, so please do stop by there and say hi :)

Sorry it's a quick post. I have to run now - the 4th trip to hospital for us recently, this time it's the boy! Wish me luck!

More weddings

So, today is the day! Tonight (or rather, tomorrow) at 12.30am my brother is getting married! In keeping wth the theme, I thought I'd share this set of wedding stationery I created using the Teresa Collins Stampmaker. I made these for an assignment, and they are currently winging their way to Mexico... hence they are not written in English, but you get the drift!

I mixed in quite a bit of product from the Timeless line, including papers and trim, along with some gorgeous Blingage pieces to give them the 'wow' factor.

I created stamps for all of the text, and also the little heart. I love the amount of detail you can create with the stampmaker.

I decorated the spine of the menu with some glass beads and more Blingage.

Such an easy way to create personalised stationery!

A simple thank you card, with a punched border and stamped heart.

I am totally in LOVE with this little gadget! In fact, I have a date with it tomorrow as I want to create some goodies with the latest free negative download from TC Stampmaker. There are some really cool designs this month!

I have been poorly for the past week and have not yet had chance to create anything with them. The rest of the Stampmaker DT have been busy creating though, and you can take a peek at their work here.

I'll be back in a couple of days, once I'm all caught up, with some things to share!

Wedding fever!

I've had weddings on the brain these last few days. I enjoyed watching the Royal wedding on Friday on the TV. No way was I going to travel to London for half a chance at maybe seeing 'something'!

In a little over a week my brother, Steve, is getting married in Las Vegas! I won't mention the fact that I'm not speaking to him as he is not taking us with him ;)

I managed to get a nice picture of him and his finace, Elaine, when they visited at Easter. Today I made this layout to document one of their last days as an unmarried couple.

I used purple on this page, which is unusual for me! But it's a colour Elaine loves so I thought it was appropriate.

Lots of layers and little details...

Although we won't be there, we will be watching it online. In preparation for the big day, T and I have been watching other weddings in the Chapel. It's great fun! ;)

All of our holiday weekends are done now for a few weeks, so it's back to normality tomorrow. I am looking forward to a nice, quiet day with the house to myself!

Have a great week!

Pencil Lines Sketch 236

I've been a busy bee this month! I am guest designing for Pencil Lines this week and the new sketch has just gone live.

I'll leave you with a peek at my layout - you'll have to visit them to find the sketch and see the wonderful creations from their talented design team.

[Supplies from the Scrap Rat May kit]

I'm also sponsoring Pencil Lines with a prize of the Scrap Rat May kit :) So come and join in with us for your chance to win!

And if you've been patiently waiting for the Miss Art's Papercrafting School to open, today is the day! They are now open for business and with monthly subscriptions starting at just $5 you'd be a fool to miss it!

Get creative!

Have you been to visit the Get Creative challenge blog? This is a Greek based site but they accept entries worldwide and they have a whole lot going on over there :)

Irini, the owner, is a sweet friend of mine and she asked me to guest design for them this month. Plus, I kept them back one of our SOLD OUT Scrap Rat April kits as a prize for them, so if you missed that one you might want to go and play along!

Here's the LO I created for Get Creative...

[All supplies from the May Scrap Rat kit]

...now run on over and check out the rest of the DT work and see what they're all about!

I'll be back later today to share something else, too! I know, 3 posts in one day! Whatever next?!

Scrap Rat May Kit Reveal!

Hello strangers! I have been so busy, but that is NO EXCUSE for neglecting my poor little blog! I will try to be a better blogger now that things have calmed down a little bit :)

So... I have a few exciting things going on tonight and tomorrow, starting with the launch of our May Scrap Rat kit!

A helping of yummy Echo Park and Crate Paper in here, mixed in with lots of other goodies! You can see the full contents list here. As always, we also have our vintage extras included for subscribers only.

Here's a little preview of one of my kit layouts from the DT gallery. You will have to visit us to see the rest and what the other talented girls have been up to.

We are also giving away some Echo Park goodies, kindly donated by Madison at Echo Park in our May reveal giveaway over on the Facebook page. Stop by and leave a comment there for your chance to win :)

I'll be back with a little more to share later on. Have a great Sunday!