Unplug and Go Outside

Happy New Year to you - wishing you a 2014 filled with good health and happiness. Many thanks for stopping by.

I'm especially pleased to post today as I've made this project as Guest Designer for one of the most talented and educational blogs around - Frilly and Funkie Challenge. The fabulous F&F team have as their challenge theme this fortnight 'New Year's Resolutions'. My top resolution is to spend less time on pc and smartphone and more time outside.

I wanted to created something light and fresh after all the darker coloured Christmas makes. As it is very stormy and wet in these parts recently I also needed something bright and pretty to entice me outdoors. The gorgeous Graphic 45 'Secret Garden' papers seem to meet these requirements imho. (Picture laden post follows!).

I've decorated a Tim Holtz Idea-ology configurations box with a selection of 'Secret Garden' papers. Similar to when I made box using Graphic 45 'A Ladies' Diary' papers I turned the Idea-ology box into a hinged type box with dummy outer and inner lids. In order to keep piece looking light I first painted the box and Idea-ology feet with a coat of Gesso, then two coats of PaperArtsy 'Vintage Lace' paint followed by a top coat of PaperArtsy 'Metallic Glaze' - this adds a lovely pearlescent shimmer.

The top lid has been embellished with lots of diecuts, charms and flowers - most of which I've drenched with 'Clear Rock Candy' distress glitter so that they all look sugary sweet. The two soft blue felt roses are from a prize I was lucky enough to win from the lovely Ivana at Paper Girl Crafts. (Ivana's blog and beautiful creations are well worth checking out). I've also wrapped the lid with pretty venise lace - you can see it here at Linda's Funkie Junkie Boutique. As usual I've managed to also include a bow.

I added a light dusting of Frantage to the papers and then set about doing a whole lot of cutting and pasting.

I can't remember who sent me a freebie of a diecut picket fence ages ago - it came in very handy here to give dimension to the inner lid. Painted fence with a few coats of PaperArtsy 'Snowflake' to give a clean white. Again decorated the little inner scene with glittered flowers, charms, ribbon and a Prima resin birdhouse.

The last time I altered an Idea-ology box I pasted paper to both the inside and outside of the drawers but the added layers made for a very tight fit. This time I painted the outer sides with pearly pale pink as above and just papered the drawer insides.

One of my favourite features of the box is the front 'lock'. First of all I diecut two layers of chipboard using Sizzix Bigz 'Hardware Findings' die. Then also diecut some thin grungepaper. I embossed the grungepaper layer with Sizzix Regal Flourishes folder so that it would have impressions similar to the Idea-ology box feet. Somehow though by the time I had glued the three diecut layers together and painted as above, alas it had mostly lost the embossed impressions - maybe the base coat of gesso was too thick. Added in two little gold brads as faux nails.

Around top and bottom sides I stencilled some Butterflies and Dragonflies using a Crafters Workshop stencil and white texture paste. Whilst wet I sprinkled on more distress glitter in 'Clear Rock Candy' - a girl has gotta add sparkle every chance she gets!

Very many thanks to the always inspirational Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog for allowing me feature as their Guest Designer today.

Huge thanks in advance for your visits and comments that are all truly appreciated.

Nicola x

I wish to enter box to the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday - Something New (New Year Resolution)
Crafts 4 Eternity - Something New (New Year Resolution)
Crafty Creations Challenges - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - New Beginnings
Card and Scrap - Bruk blomster / Use Flowers
Natalie & Amy's Challenge - One for the Girlies

Snowy cabin

Greetings dear readers - welcome to yet another Christmas card post!

I was delighted recently to have won at The Artistic Outpost referral programme, and even happier still to select my choice of their gorgeous stamp sets as prize (not easy to choose from fab array!). After lots of deliberation I went for the 'Midwinter' set and now love it. I bet the occupants of this cabin are blissfully content in their isolation.

The top circle is Stardream card cut with a Cheery Lynn die. I stamped the cabin image and embossed with Stampendous 'Twilight' EP. Did lots of frantage for the snow 'blizzard'. Painted gesso for the snowy foreground and coated it whilst wet with Distress glitter in 'Clear Rock Candy'. Also glittered the roof, windows and tree branches. Next inked the circle edges with Versamark and embossed with Judikins 'Silver Twinkle' EP. The two sentiments are from the AO sets 'Midwinter' and 'Snowy Woods' and are embossed as per cabin, silver ringed again and dotted with sparkly gesso. Sentiments also have faint shadow inked snowflakes.

The lower circle is cut using a Noor die. Again I've embossed the edge with 'Silver Twinkle' EP and glittered it too with more 'Clear Rock Candy'. The two circle layers are each propped on cardboard circles and foam tape to heighten dimension.

For the blue 'galaxy' layer I inked white CS with a combination of Distress Inks 'Chipped Sapphire' and 'Stormy Sky', Perfect Pearls mist 'Perfect Pearl' and Distress Stain 'Picket Fence'. I then gave it 3 coats of UTEE for a good thick glaze. Whilst the UTEE was hot I sprinked on silver glass glitter and little stars. Then edged it with Idea-ology silver tinsel.

Added metal key and little star brads from stash as finishing touches.

Thanks so much for visiting - I genuinely appreciate all the lovely comments you leave me.

Have a Happy Day!

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Artistic Outpost December Referral - Anything Goes using AO
Vintage Stamping Challenges - Cold and Frosty Colours
Stamping Sensations - Free and Easy
Country View Challenges - Bah, Humbug!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. - Use Metal / Add a charm
Kaboodle Doodles - Start of Winter
QKR Stampede - Starting to Look a lot like Christmas
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Winter
Live & Love Crafts - Stardust

Let The Bells Ring - Spotlight at 'Crafts-Too Challenge You'

Hello and Welcome!

Recently I was thrilled to be selected in the Top 3 over at 'Crafts-Too Challenge You' blog and am delighted to accept their kind invitation to feature today in their Spotlight post.

Their challenge theme this month is 'Vintage Christmas' with the current twist being 'polychromatic' - meaning multi-coloured. I've adapted a Melissa Frances chipboard 'large church/house' for my spotlight piece. Here it is:

My three main colours are gold, blue and red. I've used all Scandinavian papers (By Inkido, Pion Design and Maja Design) as they have the perfect vintage look. The lacy roof is made using a Cheery Lynn die and the roof papers are sprayed with a Perfect Pearls mist for a frosty look. The little windows are painted with PaperArtsy 'Nougat'. The whole project has been liberally treated with Melissa Frances crushed glass glitter, Snow-tex and Mica Flakes. The eaves are painted with PaperArtsy 'Old Gold' before being wrapped in paper and speckled with glitter.

The surrounding fence has also being painted and then stenciled using Crafty Individuals mask and Dreamweaver paste. When dry I coated the fence with multi-matte medium, somehow the chemical interactions have produced a greenish tinge in parts - but doesn't that all add to the vintage feel! All the church/house edges were inked with Versamark and then embossed using my favourite Ranger's 'Queen's Gold' EP. I've hung some bells in the belfry so that they can ring out on Christmas morning! The spire was stencilled using a Crafter's Workshop 'damask' stencil, painted and then gold embossed. The same stencil was used on the doors - can you see Santa peeking out from one door? Idea-ology ring fasteners make really cute door knockers too.

I gilded a cocktail stick and attached a Moon diecut (Sizzix / Tim Holtz) and stamped/embossed sentiment (Artistic Outpost). There's also a lot of script type stamping on the 'ground' area but as usual I've gone and covered most of it up! I also ran a ribbon trim around the 'ground' edge. The little Christmas Tree has been gilded and frantaged (thank-heavens I noticed the smoke before it turned to flame!) and dotted with pearls.

It took a lot of careful training to coax those dashing reindeer to slow-down and stand 'unaided'! Added a selection of embellishments, tossed on even more glitter and stickles for good measure and afixed to the Idea-ology box feet that I had rubbed with some Treasure Gold to warm up. The whole piece sparkles fabulously in artificial light so I'm looking forward to seeing it on display at Christmas!

Very many thanks to 'Crafts-Too Challenge You' for generously allowing me feature - why don't you pop over and join in with their fantastic challenge blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Have a lovely week,
Nicola x

Thank-you to the hosts, sponsors and design teams at the following challenges that I wish to enter:
Frilly and Funkie - Christmas Preparations
Vintage Udfordring - Christmas
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Shabby Chic Christmas
Rhedd and Rosie Challenge - Christmas Is Coming (with key items)
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
A Creative Romance - Vintage Style
Allsorts Challenge - Bring On The Bling
Crafty Hands Challenge Blog - Sparkle and Bling
Vintage Stamping Challenges - Traditional Christmas
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge - Shabby Chic / Vintage