Tuesday, June 30, 2009

FRIENDSHIP FLOWERS




The critieria for this ATC was vintage/ floral . I tried for both! I revamped some really old K&Co PP, distress inks,Tim Holtz foliage metal flower, some pearl leaf pins,
h20 watercolours and lots of hand stitching! FUN FUN FUN!!!

FREE ON MARCY'S TECHNIQUE TUESDAY!!!!

I've had the idea to have Technique Tuesday here brewing for six months or so. So now things are a bit quieter in the Smith house hold , and I've gone into my usual winter hibernation,
there should be plenty of time! LOL
Every Tuesday (hopefully) I will post a technique, a sketch or idea here that I would like to share with you all! They wont all be as huge as todays. ( actually I'm sure they'll get smaller in size as I go on! LOL I do loathe sitting in front of the computer for too long!)
I dont profess to be expert in anything particularly (oh except talking & that what frustrates me about the computer... I can think and talk faster than I can type! LOL)
but I hope some of the examples might be at the least interesting maybe inspiring!

This weeks Techniques are all about distressing and using transparencies.
It was created for Allcraftz NSD as a kit I hope you can adapt it to suit what products you have available to you.

(I think there maybe one kit left and the range of MME Papers at http://www.allcraftz.com.au/)


INSTRUCTIONS FOR
"BLOOMING" ATC'S


YOU WILL NEED:
~ 4 Squares approx. 1 to 2 cm of
MME “BLOOM” PP- BIJOU BIRDS BROWN,
BIJOU BIRDS GREEN, EYE CANDY
& GEOMETRIC PINK
~ 3 pieces of coordinating embroidery thread
~ 3 coordinating Core colour ATC size card
~ 3 stamped ATC backs
~ 4 transparencies (two sets of stems,one set of 6 flowers and 1 bloom logo and phrase)
~ white paint approx a tsp
~ 1 piece of sand paper
~ 6 small brads
PRIMA COLLAGE “CHECKERS CLEAR STAMP
(but other prima collage stamps would work.)
EMERY BOARD (optional)
CUTTING MAT
SHARP KNIFE or SCALPEL
PAINT BRUSH
EMBROIDERY NEEDLE OR NEEDLE WITH BIG EYE.
PAPER PIERCER (needle or compass works)
DOUBLE SIDED TAPE
BLACK INK




Here is an example of the transparency. I created this as a transparency, seen here backwards as a tip inside a tip I always print transparencies backward them the printed image is protected from scratching as its the side thats stuck to the paper. (hope u understand that! LOL)





If you cant make this transparency you could stitch the stems and just print the verse and flowers on to transparency sheet. There is a dingbat font that has a flowers used here you could use it in different sizes. Look for a tulip clipart and add your own text top and bottom and print onto transparency. Alternatively you could use a stamp in the centre of the bloom atc or just an individual flower cut out of the scrap PP. The possibilities are endless! LOL

STEP 1) Take Teal card and sandpaper. Sand black layer of card lightly on right hand side gradually getting heavier and revealing the core totally on the left hand side.


STEP 2. Find transparency that reads “your mind is a garden” . Trim to desired ATC size

STEP 3) Once transparency trimmed to size on the reverse side using an small paint brush (approx 0 size) dip brush in white paint on scrap piece of paper wipe of most of the paint so brush is not wet. Then lightly brush white paint over the backwards phrase. Don't be too neat.( that's called a dry brush by technical art folk). Then repeat this step again ensuring the words themselves are completely covered. Set aside to dry. Once dry cut small pieces of double sided tape and position them on the back of the painted words checking the front to make sure they wont be visable.

STEP 4) Peel off tape and stick in position to ATC. Pierce holes around the edges of the ATC with paper piercer and blanket stitch with orange embroidery thread.





STEP 5) Take the GEOMETRIC PINK PP and place your daisy flowers on it. Pierce a hole through both layers and push through a black brad.



STEP 6) Trim round the flower. Reserve the second set of flower for the orange ATC. Position your first finished flower where you would like it to go on the tallest stem of the Teal ATC. Mark and pierce a hole. Attach brad through the layers on the ATC. Being sure to make the split pins of the brad as flat as possible. As the back details card of the ATC has yet to go on over the top.


STEP 7) Repeat steps 5 and 6 to create the two sets of smaller flowers. I cut smaller pieces of PP and feed them through my Zyron for a bit of extra stick and to make it easier to attach as they were such fiddly little bits! You should now have something that looks like this or better!

STEP 8)Take pink ATC and sand a square in the centre of the card. Trim your Bloom transparency down to just outside the guidelines. Use that transparency as a guide to how big that sanded area should be.




STEP 9) On the back side of the bloom transparency attach tiny pieces of double sided tape to the back of the flower and leaves. This will help keep it in place while you pierce holes for the stitching around the outside square.

STEP 10) Pierce the holes for the stitching around the square.

STEP 11) Then use white embroidery thread to straight stitch around the transparency.


STEP 12) Cut the PP cut into 2cm x 2cm squares You’ll need twelve. Ink around the edges if you desire then if you have a zyron sticker maker machine roll them through other wise put double sided tape on the back of each piece.


STEP 13) Stick the PP squares down to cover the edge of the transparency, in an order that looks good with the patterns they have on them.


STEP 14) Once the PP squares are all in place, turn the card over and trim the excess off. Viola! Done...number two!





STEP 15) This background is a bit tricky Measure in 1cm from the top and from the bottom and half a cm from each side and mark each corner of the rectangle you’ve created. Then using your metal ruler and a scalpel lightly cut around the rectangle. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ONLY THROUGH THE TOP BLACK LAYER OF CARDSTOCK! Then gently work the edge with the end of the scalpel or your fingernail till it peels back. Peel it all back to revel a nice neat orange rectangle.

STEP 16) In black ink then stamp your background image onto the card. I used Prima collage “checkers” stamp image on mine but you could use any thing as long as its not too ornate.



STEP 17) Lastly I sanded the edges off using an emery board (just a no name nail file the kind you get from woollies in a pkt of 10. Very handy to keep in your tool box! And as you can see not used for my own manicure purposes! LOL) You can use the sandpaper provided just go gently.


STEP 18) Apart from the backgrounds and phrases this card is a mirror image of the first. To finish this card repeat steps 3 & 4 except in step four this time you will use the teal embroidery thread to stitch around the ATC
STEP 19) Then take the transparency & PP flowers you made and set aside earlier ( and yes you may say “here's one I prepared earlier!”out load as you do it! LOL)

Position your first finished flower where you would like it to go on the tallest stem of the Orange ATC. Mark and pierce a hole. Attach brad through the layers on the ATC. Being sure to make the split pins of the brad as flat as possible. As the back details card of the ATC has yet to go on over the top.



STEP 20) Fill in the specific’s on the details card and adhere to the back of each ATC. Then lastly...stand back and admire!!!

Congratulations ... Aren't they blooming beautiful!
Lastly these instructions are also on an Alcraftz forum thread:
and there is the opportunity there to see what others think and to ask questions :)
SEE YA NEXT WEEK :)

Saturday, June 20, 2009

QUICK QUICK theres only a few left!

Theres only a few MME "bloomin' " ATC kits left, so quick go grab one!

while your there check out the bargains I dont know how the chick who owns this store makes any money! So new Tim Holtz stamps are up to half RRP (I think I left a couple!LOL)

They come with everything you can see here excluding the prima stamp
(but most any background stamp will do. )

They also have detailed instuctions includng pictures and the
wisecracks thoughout come for FREE! LOL
They are corny but cute my finished ones are going in a landscape frame and
being sent to a dear friend as a pick me up! :)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

OMGOSH!!!

check this out
what an amazing idea That godess of inspiration, Ngaire Bartlam came up with that may soon be "lifted" to cover paint stains in my scraproom
before DH notices the new ones! LOL


Ngaire explains fully in the link bellow (go go go there...awesome blog!) that she bought oddment carpet squares to keep out the winter chills from rising up through the floorboards. I SAY....LOL YEA RIGHT ....Trust Ngaire to scrap the FLOOR!!! LOL
HAVE I MENTIONED I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!


I found in my travels:

"Daringly Different!"
arent they beautiful my guess is they are airdry clay stamped and glimmermisted? tiles but it doesnt say. I saw art journal or ATC all over these babies so I ordered a couple!!!


Lastly a bit more devine inspiration from Carole Janson



I've been following here work for a couple of year and SHE IS AMAZING!!!!


Monday, June 15, 2009

WILD ABOUT A CHALLENGE

Here's some ATC's I did for Alcraftz national scrapbook day last week:



Based on the sketch of the lovely forum moderator scrapnshop AKA Megan. Megan made some apsolutely amazing sketches for us to work from check them out:

http://www.allcraftz.com.au/forum/index.php?board=153.0





Monday, June 8, 2009

Bloomin' ATC's!!!

Here's some I prepared earlier! LOL


If you like these check this out...

http://www.allcraftz.com.au/kitspaperpacks-c-625.html?osCsid=eacf2ecf5efb9b90c8d62137faa8f0fa

As well as cute girl page kits and a STUNNING Basic Grey Mini Album!

I created these for a friends website as I had never taught an online class before and wanted a crack at it. As the planning of the big Allcraftz National scrapbooking Day (ANSD) event progressed it panned out way to chock- a- block full of giveaways, games, challenges, product launches and prizes. Hence its available to purchase with the simple easy to follow instructions (pictures for each step) are included. The pack includes everything you'll need from the patterned papers & thread to transparency's and paint!

If you've never done an ATC before you can go at your own pace and pick up numerous techniques that transfer to 12 x12 scrapping and if your an expert...well this is just alot of fun! Artists trading cards can be kept or nicer still given away and these are perfect to give to a special friend!

For more information about creating

Artist Trading Cards I stumbled across this great site the other day;

http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

this site covers the basics but

BEWARE ONE ATC IS NEVER ENOUGH!!!

ATC's ARE ADDICTIVE & WONDERFUL FUN!!!

MOVIN ON!!!

Its with much sadness and disappointment I've decided to
move on from Wicked Princesses.
I thank the girls at Wicked Princesses for the
opportunity I have enjoyed.
I am looking forward to lavishing more
attention on my family.
I am, I must say, also excited again
by the prospect of being able to concentrate on developing,
enjoying and sharing my enthusiasm for my craft!
I have also made some lovely and talented new friends
at WP, I hope to stay inspired by! LOL
I will be uploading some new layouts soon as well as endeavouring
to recreate my blog with a fresh and more tantalizing look
in the days to follow. (ha ha)
lastly,
I HAVE TOTALLY ENJOYED
THE BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS
I HAVE ADMIRED AT WP
AND
WITH MY WHOLE HEART WISH TO
THANK ALL THOSE WHO LEFT INSPIRING AND
WONDERFUL COMMENTS UNDER MY LAYOUTS!!!
DON'T BE STRANGERS,
FEEL FREE TO DROP IN ON ME HERE
AND SEE WHAT I'M UP TO OR WAFFLING ON ABOUT! LOL

Friday, June 5, 2009


ALLCRAFTZ NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING

DAY IS HERE!!!


Games, Prizes, Challenges, Give-Aways, Amazing Deals, Product Launches,

and SO MUCH MORE.

Join us in the forum June 5-8 and have some FUN!



over $3,500 worth of prizes and giveaways
just checkout the games and challenges on offer...