Finished Mixed Media Journal & Much More

Hi Friends & Crafters, Well quite a lot to share with you today, so I have this blog post and a youtube video tonight at 7 pm, I do hope you will join me. Here I am sharing the finished journal along with a colourful cover made with the Magic Mixed Media Paper along with the Heat Transfer paints.

Before I share the 'How to' I would like to let you know that I have added the final offer to my Etsy Store today. For the next week, you can enjoy 40% off of all orders over 60 GBP. This is a limited offer, running until midnight on the 17th October. There are limited numbers  and once they are gone, they're gone.

For the Journal cover you will need:

Craftascope Floral Companions Dies

Craftascope Heat Transfer Paints by Colourist

Magic Media Paper

Copier Paper

Pokey Tool

Thread

Needle

PVA glue (I recommend Phill's Sentimentally Yours)

Step 1: Measure and cut out the amount of copier paper you will need to cover your journal, being sure to allow 1/2'' for overlapping the edges. Cut the same from the Magic Media Paper.

Step 2: Create strips of copier paper, painted with the Heat Transfer Paints.

Step 3: Cut a selection of leaves from copier paper, painted with the Heat Transfer Paints. Cut at least 5 layers at a time when using thin papers to lessen the damage on your cutting plates.

Step 4: Position and secure a black die cut behind each leaf to create a drop shadow.

Step 5: Secure the strips of paper across the copier paper blank.

Step 6: Arrange the leaves and secure to your design.

Step 7: Place face down onto your Magic Media paper, then transfer your design to the cover.

Step 8:  Use a tool to make holes for your stitching.

Step 9: Stitch using your chosen colour of thread. If you have it available, wax your thread for strength.

Step 10: Here's an alternate design, this time I used scraps (as described in the video).

Here are both finished Journals.

I do hope you will join me later this evening for the Youtube video at 7 pm. It will be nice to chat. I am also going to share some of my new Craftascope goodies with you along with some samples from the Design Team, using previous collection. I have also got some projects and artwork from Friends & Customers to share with you. One of my Crafty friends has painted the most beautiful picture of my Nan, here is a photo, but I will show it in real life too. I just couldn't believe how beautiful it is.

It's been wonderful to receive your beautiful cards and artwork. Here is the link for tonights video, It will play from here, but if you watch on youtube you can join the chat.

Your support has always meant such a great deal to me over the years, since starting my blog. Without you I wouldn't have continued, so I want you to know how grateful I am to each and everyone of you. Take care & Happy Crafting.xxx

Patchwork Design, Heat transfer Paints & Demos

Morning Friends and Crafters, This evening I have a new video going up at 7 pm. The next part of the Patchwork series, if you have missed any of the others, do take a look they are full of hints, Tips and shortcuts. Im sure true and experienced patch worker's  wouldn't like it, but I know I dont have the skill or confidence for some of the smaller blocks so for me this is great and if it means I can help and give someone else the confidence to try then I am very pleased.

There will be another next Wednesday at 7 pm as well so I do hope you enjoy it. If there is anything you would like me to include in future videos please do add your comments to the video. It's always nice to know what you would like to see or need help with.

The video will go on at 7 pm this evening: Here is the link for you:

Don't forget to leave your reviews for any of your purchases on the Craftascope Etsy site for your chance to win my next collection. I also have a wonderful 50% discount offer on the Blooming Marvelous Collection, which includes the Dancing Dolphin 2 part die. Last look there were around 10 left so please don't miss out.  Thats all for now, Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Leonie Launches Tonight (One Not to Miss)

URGENT UPDATE. LEONIE'S SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED TO 7PM TONIGHT FOR 2 HOURS, NOT 8PM AS SCHEDULED. Morning, Well the day has finally arrived. It's launch day for Leonie's new collection on Hochanda tonight at 8 pm. There will be more live shows tomorrow (Saturday) at 9, 12, 4 and last chance at 7 pm. Please make sure you catch the shows for this amazing collection and plenty of inspiration. Here are a couple of teasers to whet your appetite.

I will be sharing a selection of full samples in my next post this evening and more tomorrow. As usual I will share all of them in much more detail in the following blog posts.

The design team will be running a giveaway via Facebook, so do watch out for details. Take care and see you later. I really hope you enjoy the New Collection from Leonie.xx 

Flowery Dream Cushion Cover

Morning, Here is today's project, Something little bit different again using Leonie's Die Collection. I have also used stamps from the Brand New Launch from Leonie on Hochanda. When the new dies were launched, I had quite a few e-mails asking if the dies worked with fabric and if I had tried. I hadn't so I decided I would use this as the project for this post.

I started by cutting the material for the cushion cover, The width of the fabric needs to be approximately an inch or so wider than the cushion pad. This was to be a very simple envelope cover so The fabric needs to start at 2/3 the way down the cushion pad, right round to the front and overlap by approximately 1/2 to 2/3 again.

To colour my fabric I wet the material thoroughly and wrung it out, I wanted to keep as many creases as possible for colouring to add to the effect. I then took a selection of Brusho's, Emerald Green, Cobalt Blue and Violet. I hung the dripping wet fabric up and sprinkles in patches with the Brusho's, spritzed with more water and let the colour spread through the fabric. I then turned the fabric and repeated the process until I was happy with the result. I then left this to dry.

I selected 2 fabrics for the design, a plain black cotton and  a Downton Pattern fabric from the Lady Mary Collection and ironed on some Heat n Bond. I cut out three of the 'Folk Heart Base' in both colours and two of the fine outlines in black. I also cut a stem and leaf from the black cotton. In addition I cut out the word 'Love' in both colours and added them to the opposite hearts.

To pin the cushion cover I placed the material (wrong side) around the cushion pad and pinned one side in place, being careful not to pin to the cushion. Then I slipped it out, pinned the other side and sewed down both sides with a very close straight stitch. I turned it the right side out and pressed.

Then I arranged my flowers design using the die cut fabrics and ironed with a very hot iron (no steam). Either side of the main design I added and pressed the fine heart outline and stamped a word in each of them from Leonie's collection.

I hope you like this project, it's nice to do something a little different and answer the questions that were asked at the same time. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today and I hope you will come again. Take care xxx

War-bonnet Wilderness

Today, I am sharing another card that I made using the new range of stamps from Bee Crafty. They were launched on Friday 20th May, if you missed Bev's shows they are still available on Hochanda's website, via the TV schedule, using the catch up feature. Please be quick as they're stored for 7 days.

I started off with a sheet of A4 velvet card. I didn't know exactly the size of my finished project, but I was hoping for approximately 7-8''. First I drew a simple hat in pencil and then fashioned it into the base of an Indian War Bonnet. When I had rubbed out all of the excess pencil lines, I went over the required shape with a waterproof black fine liner pen. Then I masked off with Pebeo Drawing Gum.

I worked out which part of the large wing I would need to complete the head dress and applied washi tape to mask off the unwanted part of the stamp, then inked up using Versamark, removed the tape, lined up the stamp with the hat base. I used black fine detailed embossing powder to emboss the feathers.

I then took the small straight feather from the same set to be the hanging side feathers of the head dress. Then took the medium curled feather and masked off the base with washi tape as I only wanted to use the tip. Using black versamark I positioned them about 5-10 mm away from the wing. I added black dots between the head dress and the feathers and joined them together with a very fine line using a black fine liner. I wanted the feeling of movement so they appeared free to move in the breeze. I then applied drawing gum to the whole image.

I cut my project down to size and drew two deckled lines around the edge at 5 and 10 mm with my black fine liner.

I stamped the sentiment I had chosen from the collection. Then added the landscape using Antique Linen,Tea Dye and Frayed Burlap. I added some Brushed Corduroy in the mountain range. I then placed my mask for the Sun/Moon, For the sky I used mainly Shaded Lilac, then from the outside blended in some stormy Sky and finally a little Faded Jeans just around the edges blending into the rest.

To create the Tippee's, I cut a triangle from copier paper and ripped a slim strip also to lay across the base. I blended Frayed Burlap inside the triangle. I drew the base, posts and door flap with my black fine liner. I removed the Drawing Gum and coloured the head dress with a selection of Alcohol markers.I then coloured the inside deckled frame with my black marker.

Finally I mounted the card onto a black card base leaving approximately 5 mm around the card.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog today. I hope you like the card I have made using these beautiful stamps from Bee Crafty and enjoyed my step by step of how it came alive. Thank you for all of your lovely comments and I hope you will visit again soon. Tomorrow I will be sharing another card that I made using Leonie Pujol's new stamp collection and I hope you will stop by for that. Take care xx

Art Deco Inspired Acetate Card

Morning, Thank you so much for your support and for the lovely messages. I really do love getting them and it makes me very happy that you are liking the things I am sharing and enjoy seeing what I have made.

This is actually the very first card I made when the new collection of stamps and stencils arrived from Leonie Pujol. I had the idea of using a stencil surrounded by just one stamp. At the same time I wanted the stencil part of it to be hidden until the card was opened. I played around with various ideas (most of them disastrous) until I came up with the plan that ended up as the finished card. I decided to use an Art Deco type shape at the front, with a representation of a sunset behind. Working out how and which stamps would work for this design was the hardest task.

The base card was 8 1/4 x 8 1/4, I drew my design using a pencil and ruler onto the front of the  card, then using a craft knife removed the excess. To mask of the sections I used washi tape. When the stamping was complete, I darkened  the design lines with a black fine liner pen and coloured using alcohol markers, black and 3 other colours. I wanted the front design to act as a contrast to the bright colours of the backdrop.

For the inside, I worked out the positioning of the stencil so that it would be hidden from view until the  card was opened. The positioned the circle to fit whether the card was open or shut. There were a lot of masks needed for the inside design, to avoid any over-stamping, but I definitely think it was worth it in the end.

The sunset was coloured using a selection of red & red/orange alcohol markers to give depth and dimension. The card was finished using one of Bev's stamps from BeeCrafty. I love her stamps and the sentiments are amazing. I attached acetate to the front of the card, then used a plainer version of the front to hide the tape used in construction.

I hope you like the finished card. Thank you so much for taking the time to view my blog. It does mean a great deal to me. Crafty Hugs Nick xxx