Reflect and Grow Step by Step

Hi, I thoroughly enjoyed mixing it up with this project. I made it for Leonie's Typography Collection show on Hochanda, I hope you enjoy the step by step and the finished card.

From Kraft card I cut 4 each of the Antique Frames from Sara's Shabby Chic Collection. They are really beautiful and make a really substantial piece when layered up.

Before adding any Distress Inks, I added Pebeo drawing gum around the edges, It doesn't actually rub off of Kraft card but it does give a great wood effect once the inks are added.

To make the mirror frame and base look like old wood, I used the ink in the photo. Starting with the Aged Mahogany, then in order from dark to light.

I took a piece of Acetate just slightly bigger than the mirror frame. First I applied the Gilding Paste from Pebeo and left to dry. I some areas I stippled it as I didn't want a perfect mirror look. When dry I added the Pebeo silver leaf sheet. Then using Stayzon black ink, I stamped a crackle stamp over the top, this one is from Bee Crafty.

I cut out my letters using Leonie's Typography die range, 2 of each and stuck together with Tacky Glue for depth.

The Kraft background card was embossed using the Woodgrain Textures embossing folder from Crafters Companion. I then distressed it using the same colour Distress Inks that I used for the frame. The darkest of them were only used at the top and bottom of the card, leaving the middle lighter.

I then gilded my letters, using the Pebeo Gilding Paste and their Gold Leaf.

For the mirror stand, I used the base of the tree from Leonie's 'Funky Tree'. I coloured it with Vintage Photo and added Glossy Accents, the Glossy Accents always makes the colours appear darker so be careful. I used Black card to layer the piece onto, giving a narrow border before adding it to a silver/white basecard.

Thank for coming to see what I have been sharing. I hope you will continue visiting as I have some exciting things coming up very soon. Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Indian Spice Box

Morning, A nice little project today using Leonie's brand new Embossing Folders launched on Hochanda along with her beautiful new stamps. As soon as I saw this particular folder, I immediately thought of the carved Indian Boxes, especially thinking of using it with Gilding waxes.

The whole collection of folders are lovely but I particularly like this one. I wanted a small border around my design so I wanted the finished box to measure 5 x 7''. To make a box this size with a depth of 1 1/2'' the card had to measure 10 x 8'' for both the lid base and lid.

I cut my card to size and scored it at 1 1/2'' on all sides using my Big Score from Crafters Companion. Using the lid section for the lid and remembering to use the base for the base. This will ensure that the box fits together perfectly. I creased all edges and cut tabs, then secured with Cosmic Shimmer Glue.

I embossed my top panel using the 'Entwined Love' folder, The card was cut to 5 x 7'' to give the perfect border around the lid. For the edges around the box I cut my strips to size to allow an identical border. I ran these strips through my machine using the 'Dotty Heart' folder, lining up the design along my strips.

I then went ahead and added Pebeo Gilding wax to all of my elements, using Renaissance Gold, Empire Gold and Silver. For the top panel I wanted some extra warmth to show through so before using the Pebeo gilding wax, I added some Cosmic Shimmer Gilding polish 'Rich Red'. Then using the other waxes, I built up a succession of layers to give more depth of colour.

I secured the panels to my box using Cosmic Shimmer Glue and then added matching mini brads to the corners. I think it would be lovely to make some matching notelets to go inside this box or maybe use it as a gift box for chocolates or smelly's. 

Thank you for visiting today and for the lovely comments you have been leaving I really appreciate these and your support. I hope you will continue to visit to see what I am sharing. Take care xxx

Wintry Leaves

Morning, I am sharing a wintry card today, that could easily be made into a Christmas themed card. I have used the amazing stamps drawn by Sam along with the stencils and masks from Bee Crafty. The shows were great, if you missed them on Friday you can still watch them on Catch Up on the Hochanda Website, via the TV schedule.

To begin with I secured the largest of the Maple Leaf masks onto my 8'' square card. Here I used velvet cardstock. I left about a 1 cm gap between the mask and the edge of the card.

Next using Distress Inks I built up a landscape, here I used Shaded Lilac, for the land, blending it darker at the top to nearly white where the hill join. For the sky, I blended Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire darker around the edges, blending to give a halo above the land.

To add the tree, I masked off part of the stamp with washi tape, inked it up and removed the tape before stamping into place.. I overlapped the moon slightly with the tree. I then blended around the page and mask with Shaded Lilac.

I removed the masks and stencil, then placed a negative of the moon so I could add some colour inside it. I wanted the moon to show outside the leaf, while not spoiling the leaf outline. Then I replaced the moon mask and the maple leaf mask, I put scrap paper around the edge of the square I had created and sponged Shaded Lilac inside to give a more wintry look and add atmosphere.

I stamped a selection of the smaller Maple and Oak leaf onto another sheet of card and coloured them with matching Distress inks. Shaded Lilac and Blueprint Sketch.

Then cut them out with scissors.

I stamped my sentiment, shaped the leaves and arranged them around my design, I then used 3D glue gel to adhere them to the card.

I took some white card to layer the project onto and used Mediterranean Blue Gilding Polish around the edges before securing it with Cosmic Shimmer Glue.

Thank you so much for joining me again today, I do hope you have enjoyed the step by step I have shared and the finished project. I really hope you will come back again soon. Take care and bye for now xx

Awash With Whales

Morning and Welcome back. Today's project is something different for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, a little bit of mixed media.

I started off by embossing some watercolour card with a 5 x 7 Textures Embossing folder from Crafters Companion, it was the Dry Stone Wall Pattern. Using Chalkboard Comic Shimmer Chalk Paint I rubbed over the embossed area to highlight the bricks and set this aside to dry.

I decided to use one of Leonie's stamps as a whales fin, I stamped it onto watercolour card using a Versafine Ink Pad (Blue Lagoon). When this was dry I used the Brother Scan n Cut to give a 5 mm border around it.

Using the reverse side of a canvas, I painted it using a mixture of Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Paints, Chalkboard and Slate Grey.

I cut away a section of the stone wall background and secured the whales fin to simulate that it was breaking through the gap.

I created the illusion of flowing water and texture with strips of Modroc, soaked in water, then screwed up and manipulated to adhere to the canvas. Once the Modroc had completely set I painted it using Paperartsy Chalkpaint's, Beach Hut and Limelight. I added some white Gesso to small areas and also flicked some over the frame of the canvas to simulate sea foam. I applied some small accents of Shimmer by using Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Paste in Ocean Teal from Creative Expressions and Tim Holtz Stickles (Ice Blue).

Thank you so much for stopping by to see what I have been sharing. I hope you will be back again soon. I do want to say a massive thank you for your support and for all of the lovely comments that you are leaving for me and my projects. I really appreciate it and it means a great deal to hear when people do like the items I share. Take care xx