Saturday 15 October 2016

Sketchy Boards challenge - October

It's been awhile since I participated in the
Sketchy Boards challenge....

The October inspiration picture has soft golds, cream and greens - so pretty!


and the Sketch 


so, I put and little of this and a little of that
and this...



Started with a sheet of Prima 'Rossibelle' order from Craft Giraffe - the Ultimate Crafts cream cardstock was tilted as per the sketch - photo mounted onto paper saved from the middle and extra tags made too - die  cut tassel handmade by Shaneen -  Prima flowers from 'Rossibelle' and also a 'Sweet Peppermint' - Chipboard title and feather from Imaginarium Designs 'You are amazing' inked roughly in black and then roughly coverd with Glossy Accents... looks nifty! A flair won in a prize from Funky Flair Studio and some die cuts too!!

Photo is ALMOST 25 years old - 1st February - and is me with one of my Bridesmaids Rachel!!
Alison xx


Friday 14 October 2016

White with One challenge - Cayenne

Hello October
and
Hello CAYENNE
ooh a bright, happy and hot colour!!


Of course, I started with Janet's resins from
The Resin Rainbow



Started with a sheet of Ultimate Crafts 'Snow White' and adhere a little music print tissue in a vertical design - splattered some 'Cayenne' shades of inks - found the middle and adhered the resin strips vertically - added all the SHAPCHAT photos in a grid like pattern and finished embellishing with some more Resins, die cuts, and Blue Fern Studios 'heart' and 'keys' inked with a combination of orange and red - easy!!

Our teen girls are always laughing about the Snapchat filters and will randomly say 'Mum' and snap a photo of me too... they laugh a lot more at my filters!!
Alison xx


Monday 10 October 2016

Season's Greeting, Be Merry and Bright with some Anna Griffin too!!

Hello everyone!!

Thank you for coming to see what I've been up too ;)
I have been having a bit of fun with the new collections for 

Couture Creations 
and Ultimate Crafts

So many papers, and decorative dies ..

I started with some projects with the recently released

Seasons Greetings  collection


Recycled project, Battery tealight 'Luminary'

I go through Quick Release paper by the box so I figured I would put the BOX to good use too!
I die cut the 'Fireplace' , adhered Acetate behind the die and coloured with 'Liquid Drops 3d Pearls'
Just remember to leave a hole to turn the candle off and on!

- ULT157660 12x12" Paper pad 
- ULT157699 Fireplace Impression Die
- CO724603 Acetate sheets
- CO724945 Merry Layered Stars Set (Be Merry collection)
- CO724633 'Snow White' 3mm Pearls (??)
- ULT157649 'Pharaoh' Liquid Drops 3d Pearls
- ULT157645 'Cottonball' Liquid Drops 3d Pearls
- ULT157650 'Buttercup' Liquid Drops 3d Pearls
- ULT157157659 'Rouge' Liquid Drops 3d Pearls
- ULT157149T - Quick Release Die Paper (Empty box)
- CO724916 Specialty Paper - Cream swirl

Special Moments layout


I little fussy cutting for the border strips - fun!!
Some easy clustering of the flowers in the collection - 
The title is Silver glitter, but you can colour it what suits?
A couple of cute Imaginarium Designs chipboard Reindeer!!

Special Moments Layout
-  ULT157660 12x12" Paper Pad
- ULT157666 Mixed Primrose flowers 12pcs
- ULT157664 Poinsettia Duo 2pcs
- ULT157663 Large mixed Poinsettia 4pcs
- ULT157665 Small mixed Poinsettia 7pcs
- ULT157662 Cardmakers Companion 26pcs
- CO724924 Chipboard words 11pcs
- CO724641 'Grass Green' 3mm Pearls
- CO724642 'Emerald Green' 3mm Pearls

Merry Christmas layout


Just a simple design with the Metallic Daisies
and a little fussy cutting on the strips!!

Merry Christmas layout
- ULT157660 12x12" Paper Pad
- ULT157683 'Merry Christmas Swirls' Impression Die
- ULT157667 Mixed ferns 5pcs
- ULT157668 Mixed metallic daisies 8pcs
- CO724928 Christmas Threads 
- CO724883 'Quatrefoil' Stencil - Anna Griffin
- CO724644 'Glamorous Gold 3mm Pearls
- CO724870 Embossing Paste white FInish - Anna Griffin

Family Love layout


Ok, if you don't LOVE fussy cutting you might need to think of a different border, 
lucky I really enjoy it!!
The 'Wild Branches and Pinecones' die set is really lovely!!

Family Love Layout
- ULT157660 12x12" Paper Pad
- ULT157693 'Wild Branches and Pinecones' Impression Die
- CO724924 Chipboards Words 11pcs
- CO724930 'Merry Stars Assortment' Anna Griffin
- CO724870 Embossing Paste white finish - Anna Griffin
- CO724641 'Grass Green' 3mm Pearls
- CO724642 'Emerald Green' 3mm Pearls

Grandpa layout


ALL the RED flowers are QUILLED - yes, so easy when the kit contains strips and a tool too!!

Grandpa layout
- ULT157660 112x12" Paper Pad
- ULT157666 Mixed Primrose Flowers 12pcs
- ULT157664 Poinsettia Duo 2pcs
- ULT157663 Large mixed Poinsettia 4pcs
- ULT157665 Small mixed Poinsettia 7pcs
- ULT157671 Christmas Floral Rolling Trims 16pcs inc tool
- ULT20001 'Snow White' cardstock

'Be Merry and Bright'  Advent Calendar


I've used all white matchboxes but you could used printed ones and cover them all with patterned paper - you could even die cut some cute boxes, envelopes or containers to add some small gifts or sweets too! Remember when you adhere them to a back board you need to be able to open them to put the gifts in and to get them out too!! 

Be Merry collection
Advent calendar (with candy?)
- CO724920 12x12" Paper Pad "Be Merry and Bright"
- CO724922 Diecut Ephemera set
- CO724945 Merry Layered Stars set - Impression die
- CO724927 3mm Duo Gems

Sparkle


Mixed a little Pigments powder with the Embossing Paste - you can add a couple of colours to get the tone you need - the Paste dries super quick!!
The 3d stars are easy - just fold in half at each point, then mountain/valley - 
I picked out all the pretty purpley pinks from the collection!!

Sparkle layout
- Co724920 12x12" Paper Pad "Be Merry and Bright"
- CO724924 Chipboard words
- CO724883 'Quatrefoil' stencil - Anna Griffin
- CO724870 Embossing Paste white finish - Anna Griffin
- CO724866 Mix & Match Pigments - Anna Griffin 
- CO724927 3mm Duo Gems

Enjoy canvas


The Anna Griffin Mixed Media collection has so many lovely colours and mediums included in the range, there really is something for everyone!!

Canvas 'Enjoy'
- CO724924 Chipboard Words
- ULT157631 'Starry Mosaic' Background Textures 2 Stamp
- CO724883 'Quatrefoil' Anna Griffin Stencil
- CO724888 'Secret Garden' Anna Griffin Stencil
- CO724870 Embossing Paste whiter finish
- CO724866 Mix & Match Pigments
- CO724299 Beaded satin bloom
- CO724298 Camden beaded cottage flower
- CO724294 Tie dyed & Jewelled florettes 4cm

If you have any questions just leave a comment and I can reply - 
Alison xx

Sunday 2 October 2016

Personalised Christmas Baubles - Couture Creations DT

Welcome back, it's Alison
Can you believe how close CHRISTMAS is now?
Really, just weeks!!

I LOVE Christmas...
Love everything from the crazy shoppers with trolleys laden to our home filled with decorations and handmade gifts are an important part of the celebrations - 
Sometimes you just need something a little special, that doesn't cost a fortune but you want the other person to know you were thinking of them..

Personalised Christmas Baubles
make a lovely gift
and you can choose colours or add embellishments which show the recipient you made it especially for them!!

I've started with some 'plastic' baubles but you can find 'glass' also?
Pull off the caps and save them to the side. 


Start by cutting various width strips from your patterned paper - great way to use up those extra bits, as it doesn't matter if they are long or short - 
I chose some lovely papers from the 
Season's Greetings collection


Now run your scissors or bone folder along the length and curl them all - you can start at one end curling one way and then turn it around and curl from the opposite end - 
Then push them all inside the bauble


You can also add various sequins, seed beads and you know all those little bits you get when you do a bunch of diecutting? They are perfect to add to a bauble as filler - those bits are good for adding to Shaker style cards too!!


I adhered a 'Poinsettia Duo', a 'Small Mixed Poinsettia' and a mini christmas tree to the cluster 

It was quite difficult to photograph the glare but you get the idea?

There was FOUR baubles in the packet
so, I made THREE more, why not...

This Bauble was filled with strips from the 
Be Merry & Bright collection
I've added some of the pink sprinkles too
Finished by fussy cutting a star and adhering the 'Silver Glitter word - Heart'

 

I combined some strips from the new
Ooh La La collection
to those beautiful 'Mixed Metallic Daisies' and 'Mixed Ferns'
They come in a lovely copper, gold and green too!
The collection also contains a packet of mixed toned sequins - how good would a bauble look filled with them? You could add a layer of thin clear glue and roll it around inside till the surface is covered then add the sequins and let it dry, tip out an excess that hasn't stuck!


I have a friend who loves everything Africa so filled a bauble with strips from the 
Wild and Free collection
even added some Giraffe diecuts (her favourite African animal)
and finished with a rhinestone initial - 


You can add a giant ribbon so your bauble can hang on the Christmas tree - something which can be put away and hung again next year!
I like to package them nestled in some soft tissue paper in a cute box - if you're really keen, you can even make the  box!!





Hope you make a handmade gift this Christmas,
Alison











Saturday 1 October 2016

Couture Creations - Create your own custom coloured shoes

Welcome back,
It's Alison again...

I recently represented Couture Creations by demoing at A Place to Create for The Papercraft Trail - what a fun day!!
The store released a NEW collection - 

Wild and Free

designed by Queenie Yeung

I created a number of samples -
a bunch of Layouts
dozens of Cards,
a mini album
and
altered a new pair of sneakers, by adhering a few die cuts - 
I used the very pretty

Forest Frame - CO724823

I wasn't 100% happy with them on the day so decided I'd add a little colour with the
Anna Griffin Pigment Powders


Step one - purchase some white canvas sneakers - you can of course, give your old shoes a new lease of life - or choose slip on shoes - or choose a pale colour to add some extra colour and shimmer too!!


Step two - Die cut - you can really add whatever takes your fancy? and almost any colour of the rainbow - I chose black cardstock! I've adhered them onto the shoe front and sides with the 
Anna Griffin Texture Paste in Matte - one coat over the top and let them dry!!


Step Three - pick some colours from the set of 'Mix & Match Pigments' - I've made them ALL up, just in case? I picked up a plastic paint palette and some 'Gum Arabic' (liquid not powder) 
I've added a 'pinch' of the Pigment Powder, a 'couple of drops' of the Gum Arabic and a 'squirt' of water and stirred the mixture - I left this to dry naturally.


Step Four - I added some water to each of the colours I thought I might use and started adding some colour  a little here and a bit more there. I coloured parts of the dies and added a little more colour in spots and blended everything together.


I've tried to capture the beautiful SHIMMER from the Pigment Powders.. it's a little difficult so you just might need to buy a set and have a go yourself!!


If you live in Brisbane, I'm planning to wear my ORIGINAL footwear to the Craft Alive show in Logan - 11, 12, 13th November - come and say HELLO



Thanks for visiting,
Alison x