There are Always Flowers...

Good morning crafty people!

It's nearly the end of the holidays and I am relieved! Trying to please 4 children from 13 years old to a 1 year old has been very testing. Combine this with a limited budget and limited use of a car...holiday, anyone? Adults only though please!

Anyway, I have the card below over on the Lisa B. Designs Blog today, please pop over a take a look if you would like to see how it came together (mistakes and all!)

Much love,

Martina

xx

A Card-io Jigsaw Card

Hi crafters! I have another Card-io card for you today, this time building on the aperture scene card I made last week.  If you would like to know more, please join me over on the Lisa B. Design's Blog!

Love

Martina

xxx

Card-io Stamps used to Create a Mini-Scene Card

Good morning all! I have been dabbling with my Card-io stamps again over on the Lisa B. Design's Blog today, please join me and pop-over to see a step-by-step for the card below!

Lots of love,

Martina

xxx

Card-io Stamps: Bugs and Wild Flowers!

Good morning crafty peeps!

I have a post using some Card-io Stamps over on the Lisa B. Designs blog today, please pop over and take a look if you would like to see a step-by-step for the card below.

Love

Martina

xx

Ribbon Storage - Vintage Style!

Hello all! I am still organising and this time it is the turn of my ribbon stash (or at least some of it!) This unit is again from Stamps Away (Clevercut), and is available in different configurations. This one is a double loose ribbon rack. I have also purchased a 'Reel Wheel', but have not decorated this yet!

As usual, the unit came flat-packed and was very easy to put together. As before, I used decorators' filler to fill the joins in the MDF, sanded it back where needed and made the edges even and smooth.

The next step was to paint the entire unit with black gesso and let dry. I then drew on one of Andy Skinner's brilliant techniques using hair clay: I added some to the areas I wanted to be able to expose later on (the clay will stop the top layer of paint I use from sticking down).

 

With the clay in place, I then painted the entire unit again, this time with DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint in Lace. I also painstaking painted each of the ribbon holders with the same colour (this was the worst bit!)

Now to decorate! I used the border from PaperArtsy Stencil PA050 across some of the edges to tie them all in, some of the wording from PS049 and the 'Paris France' logo from a Creative Expressions Stencil. I used Relic DecoArt Chalky Finish for the stencilling, as this gave a nice dark, but not black, effect.

With the stencil detail in place, I was then able to experiment with some of the gorgeous 7 Gypsies 'Inspire' Parchment Rub-ons. I cut out lots of the sewing themed images and text and then randomly applied them all over the unit. 

Once I started applying the images, I realised that there was going to be quite a few areas that would be peeled away, so I took a cloth and then rubbed all over the unit until the areas with wax underneath were exposed. I then finished adding some more rub-ons and also stamped a few sewing themed images with Archival Ink.

There we have it, one finished ribbon storage holder! I am really pleased with it, even though I know most of the decoration won't be seen, I know it's there!

Thanks for reading,

Martina

xxx

Crafter's Companion Foil Transfers and Rice Paper - Quick and Easy!

Good day crafty folk! I have a quick and easy make over on the Lisa B. Designs Blog today, please pop by and see how easy it is to make the card below!

Love

Martina

xxx

Rare Oddities - Graphic 45 Papers to make an Ink Storage Solution

Good evening crafters! As promised, I am back with another crafty storage make for my 'organised' craft room.

This unit is designed by Stamps Away (or 'Clevercut) and is meant for small square inks (Versacolor etc). The unit comes flat-packed and is easily assembled with strong PVA glue to secure. Once dry I always fill the 'joins' with decorators' filler and sand the excess off ( I like the surfaces to be smooth). With a perfect base created, I painted the whole unit using DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint in Remembrance. This does take a while, but only one coat is needed, as the DecoArt Paint is fabulous to use.

To smarten up the trays (yes I know the inks will hide most of it!) I added some Imagination Craft's Starlight Wax to 'distress' it and then used lots of little Lavinia and Cardio Stamps in each of the cavities. The final touch was a light spray with gold Crafter's Companion Sparkle and Shine.

I also added some wax to the edges of the unit and the inside.

I did not want to make the outside of the unit too 3D, but it was a perfect excuse to use some of my gorgeous Graphic 45 Rare Oddities Papers! (that way I can always look at them and also not give them away!) I finished the edges with some purple braid from my stash.

 

Here is the finished unit! All ready to go and in use already.

Thank you for reading,

Love

Martina

xxx