Beads, Beads, Beads

 

A trio of ATCs using beads.

 

Firstly I sorted out some already coloured backing card from my stash. I found enough for the three ATCs I needed to make. I decided that I would try to use bits that I already had , rather than start the whole process from scratch.

First one was using a piece of silk on which I had made a rubbing, using Markal Paint Sticks. I attached the beads and added a little colour with glitter pens. I then stamped and embossed the background card, using gold embossing powder . The heart was cut from a scrap of fabric paper, stitched around the heart  and stitched  the face to the middle. Finished off with gold Krylon around the edges.

 

With the second I  stamped and embossed the background card, this time using copper embossing powder.  I used a  piece of lutrador, that had been stencilled using moulding paste, coloured with treasure gold (copper) and heavily distressed. I stitched this to a piece of red silk and randomly attached sequins and beads.

Number three, I again stamped and embossed the background card. I had a small piece of  fused fabric that I’d made at a workshop ( Margaret Beale), so I cut this to the correct size and added sequins and beads.

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Technorati Tags: ATC,embossing powders,krylon pen,markel paint sticks,beads,sequins,margaret beale,silk ties,lutrador,molding paste,treasure gold,fused fabric

Recycling Christmas

Just getting back into the swing of things since the holidays, and this was an ideal one to start with. Make 3 ATCs using Christmas cards, wrapping paper etc.
The first one was made with a cut out from a card, coloured and mounted on a backing card from my stash. I cut the little hearts from gift wrapping paper.
The second was made again using card mounted on backing card, coloured , this time stamped and embossed . The fabric star was cut from the cover on a jar of jam that I was given. I added the button from my stash.
Third was again using card stamped and embossed. I attached some fibre that I had and added cut outs from the same gift wrap that the hearts came from.
These bits would normally have been binned, so it’s nice to get a bit of ‘free’ materials to use

 

Shrink Plastic Decorated Box

This started life as a plain wooden box that I picked up in The Range.

                     

I painted it with one of my all time favourites, Liquitex  Super Heavy Bodied transparent Burnt Umber. I just use a little water with it to make it easier to go on.  I used cream shrink plastic, and had several goes at getting the colour right. Stazon black just didn’t look right and Stazon timber Brown was almost black when it was shrunk. Of course I’d forgotten that colours intensify when heated!Any way, I finally tried Versa Magic chalk ink, Jumbo Java and it turned out to be  just the colour I was hoping for. (Luckily, had nothing else to try lol).  I used Crafty Individual ‘s stamps to make the tiles.
I then thought I would emboss the top of the box with gold embossing powder, and a flourish stamp, but this was a disaster. Bits of the embossing powder stuck everywhere, and the flourishes were much to heavy. Out with the sandpaper to sand it all back, touch it up so it was smooth again and add a touch of umber here and there where it was needed. I wasn’t able to get the flourishes out completely, but decided that they actually looked ok.I then dry brushed gold paint over .  

                  

The inside of the box. On a piece of gold coloured silk , I stamped the bird only , and, with a piece of felt underneath the silk,  free stitched using straight stitch and free motion, with a variegated Madeira thread. This was cut to size and stuck into the lid. For the bottom I stuck a piece of plain brown felt, which I also used to cover the outside.
The last thing left to do, was to add the shrink plastic tiles, which was done using book binders glue.

Technorati Tags: wooden box liquitex heavy bodied,shrink plastic,stazon ink,Versa Magic chalk ink,embossing powder,Crafty Individual Stamps,birds,book binders glue,silk,felt,shrink plastic tiles,free machine stitch,Maderia varigated thread thread

Christmas Tags

 

I had a great afternoon making tags for my 12 day gifts.

               

 

 

 

Firstly I cut pieces of card to the size I wanted the tags to be, and covered this on both sides with fabric paper, or bits of backgrounds that I had in my stash. I stamped with a Christmas words stamp. For the edging I used silver plumber’s tape, which I cut into thin strips and adhered around the cards. I then used various metal working wheels to press in firmly and give a pattern. I wondered why I’d bought a bingo card embossing folder, but it came in useful here!  I cut spare bits of silver coloured metal into the correct size, and using my Wizard embossed it. The metal was coloured with alcohol ink, a hole punched and ribbon added.

 

Technorati Tags: fabric paper,background paper,stampboard,Wizard,metal tape,metal,embossing folders,alcohol inks

Christmas Notebooks

 

On UKArt we had a 12 days of Christmas swap, in which all participants made 13 presents and got back 12. I made covers for hard-backed  flip notebooks, which can be refilled as necessary.

                  

 

I made the covers using both my sewing machine and embellisher.

Firstly I cut some pelmet Vilene to approximately the right size, allowing for the end pockets to insert the pads in. I then used various wools, threads, silk ties (wonderful source of patterned silk!) with the embellisher to make the basic fabric.

When this was done I used my sewing machine, with threads to enhance the basic fabric  to add decorative elements, straight lines , some free embroidery and on some I stitched on additional fibres.

 

Next I choose some lining fabric to co-ordinate and attached it using wonder under. I then cut the piece to size, and finished off with two rows of satin stich all the way around. I then turned the ends in to make the  pockets and stitched these using satin stitch.

Technorati Tags: Pelmet Vilene,wool,covered notebooks,silk ties,threads,sewing machine,embellisher,free embroidery,satin stitch,wonder under.

Fusing Fabric, Stitching and Beading

 

                                  

 

 

When I was on a Margaret Beale course earlier in the year, I started fusing strips of organza, cutting shapes in them, but I got no further with it.  Over the last few days I’ve had a bit of a clear up, and found the folder that I’d put the pieces in, so I thought I would have a play around with it and see what appeared!

I stitched the pieces of organza onto a felt backing, using various machine stitches. I then hand stitched using my very limited range of hand stitching. I finished off by adding beads, sequins and buttons.

Not sure what I shall do with it now, but I did enjoy just playing, with no specific aim in mind.

 

Technorati Tags: Margaret Beale,organza,fusing,machine stitching,hand stitching,beads,sequins,buttons.