Tuesday 24 December 2013

Merry Christmas

To all my blog followers and readers.. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas and May 2014 be all you wish for yourselves and more! God Bless

Love & Kisses
XXOO

Thursday 19 December 2013

Family holiday

For both pages I started with plain white cardstock. I used stencil then held it down and took my Versamark pen and drew inside the stencil to get the image. I did one at a time so I could heat emboss and get the pattern I wanted. I used rose quartzes. I also edge my page with vintage photo (rangers). I got 3 different pattern pages to back the picture. I used a flower stencil and with Distress strain - picked raspberry, I added my 2 flowers. with scraps of the same backing paper I cut out banners to make bunting for the top right hand corner and thread it with lilac ribbon. I cut 3 butterflies of different sizes  and then placed a diamanté brad into it to hold them in place. I place rhinestones in place to add a bit of glam in both corners of the photo. the flowers are the final touch of elegance.  
 
 
 
Started the same - white card stock but this time I placed the stencil over the hole page and then sprayed with Tattered Angels, glimmer mist - Sea Glass. I then used blue paint on my chevron stamp and stamped randomly in the centre of the page. I then used kiwi mesh and stuck it on the right side of the photo and backed the photo in matching paper as the top photo (white & black paper) 

 
when it came to embellishing I tried to use a very little of what I had done at Finnibair's class.
So, I used the gears in the top left hand corner as well as lace flowers and then layered with the zip, button and bits. Used 2 x paper clips on the picture. Again layering with flower lace with gears, brads and clock pieces and then a paper clock which I then in turn sprayed with Mediterranean blue.
 
I did enjoy exploring new colours with these pages as well as new aspects of my layouts!
 
Enjoy you scrapping!!
XXOO 

A touch of Africa

 
Every year my Mom sends me table clothes with different paintings on. They all have an African theme and I do love them as they keep me connected to both my family back in South Africa as well as the country of my birth.
So I decided to do a canvas of one of the pictures... first I needed to make a stencil of the items I wanted which was the African man and lady. I then chose a Zebra and as well as the African pots.
I bought Zebra printed serviettes ( x 10) which I used for the edges of the canvas.
I measured 11cm in from the edge of the canvas and drew a pencil line all around the canvas. I then drew 1cm in towards the edge - that 1cm that I had just measured, I painted black as my boarder around the canvas and my edging of the Zebra stripes. I put masking tape down to get my white boarder. this helped me with my lines. It was important to see that they where straight.
 
The centre ... well I mixed a moss Green (Jo Sonja's Artists' colour) with Green Deep (Chromacryl) 
but I kept thinking it wasn't the colour I wanted but the more I applied it to the canvas I began to love this colour. Once the paint was dry I took of the masking tape. I then taped down the stencils of the figures where I wanted them and sponged the paint on through the stencils. My first attempt I did my African figures in Burnt Umber (Chromacryl) but when it came to the grass I did it in raw Umber (Chromacryl). I really didn't like the picture so out came the gesso and I covered the picture and re-did the background colour with the same greens that I had mixed before (helped that I had over mixed) but added colour to my African Figurines and the pots. What I loved about the change is not only did it brighten the picture but it seemed to bring it to life!
Yes less is more so this time I did less grass under their feet and did a Zebra in the bottom left hand side but only half the Zebra so that he doesn't draw your eye away from your African people.
 
 
 
 

Had a blast, hope you enjoy!
XXOO



Wednesday 18 December 2013

Santa Book

"Deck the halls with bells and holly...tra-la-la-la-la" Christmas tree is up and decorated  and the fake snow is in the window sills.   
Yes I know I been a bit quiet but doing my Xmas book has taken a bit, actually a lot of running around and heaps of cutting....

I found an old hard covered dictionary and measured 1.5cm from the spin and drew my square on the page. I took a metal ruler and my Stanley knife and started to cut through the pages until I reached the back hard cover of the book. You need to make sure that you are cutting to your dimensions or when you are finished it will be skew!
I then chose my backing paper (as you would with any layout) and glued it down before gluing the pages down. Once the cover and background paper was glued. I 3D  the Christmas tree - I used a lot of foam tape to make sure that there would be NO sag at all with the paper tree. I then glued down the buttons in the places on the back cover as  I wanted them. Once I as happy with the layout of the back cover I started to stick the pages down. It took slow work to make sure not to tear apart. Once the pages are glued together leave it to dry for at least a day or so.
Whilst waiting I went to a boot maker and got strips of leather from browns to blacks and he had heaps of different shades but the charcoal black was the final colour that I settled on for the belt on the covered. I also got the gold buckle at this store and was rather happy with my decision. The warehouse was selling a really cheap Santa hat which I was going to cut for the base of the front cover. It wasn't easy to find Red velvet for the cover to finish Santa's suit, but Global fabric's had just what I wanted!! I then stretched the red velvet and glued it down on the inside of the cover. I cut the belt to size and then fit the buckle and made the hole and glued down the buckle in place as not to move once on the book cover. Then chose the spot where I wanted the belt and glued it down. I made sure the belt went around the back of the book as well.


After it was all dry I put red  fine glitter on the page edges. Once the glitter had dried I put a layer of modge podge. The Christmas lights I thread it through red wire which I then cut holes in the top of the book and placed in and glued in place so as to stay in place. The chair .... well - it had a mind of it's own, I put glue on the feet and held it down and got all giddy with delight as it was glued in place only to fall over ... I re-glued the chair about 4 times before it stayed in place!! Santa well he just did what I wanted - Glued his feet and he stuck to the book pages!! Gotta love Santa for doing his job...The glue has dried and his on my mantle for all to see...My boys love my book and me I'm rather stoked it work!




Merry Christmas to you all
XXOO



 


Thursday 28 November 2013

Family - Cousin

For our Creative craft challenge we had to do "texture", and the more you get to know me you will realise since discovering this wonderful art form called texture...well, I'm totally hooked! How can you not love how it changes ones pages... So what I did was took a pattern page that I liked but didn't love and used gesso and with my Heidi Swapp 12' x 12' stencil I created my background and dried it. Once dried I've cut out my own stencils of the giraffe and it's spots which I then used coloured gesso and placed my image on the page.Once dried I used my sprays to colour the background. To enhance the colours I added two dots and let it run down the page - one was purple the other red. I then randomly placed kiwi mesh & copper strips. I then used VersaMark and rubbed it in random spots so I could add the embossing powder. I covered the whole page with the embossing page and then just dusted off the excess and heated. When I was heating I loved the way the gesso bubbled in some spots adding to the effect. It then come to doing the embellishments - I backed my picture and added a gesso butterfly and whilst wet added the rhinestones. The 2 butterflies on the side I heat embossed and then added blushing rose powder to enhance its colour. On the wing tips they both have Diamond dust.
The chipboard bird is also heat embossed with liquid platinum, the same colour on the background heat embossing.  



I did enjoy the texture added to this page and most certainly would love to try this in my journal!
Hope you give it a go....
Hugs
Joan XXOO

Products I used


Twinklets - Diamond dust
Rangers embossing powders - liquid platinum
                                                 Rose. Quartz
Rangers liquid pearls - White opal (even thought I used white it changed colour to pink on the butterflies!!)
LuminArte' - Blushing rose powder
                      Burnt Umber in a spray
Tim Holtz - Vintage photo distress inks and re inkers
Tim Holtz: Adirondack color wash - Red Pepper
                                                            Purple Twilight
Dylusions - Squeezed Orange
                    Dirty Martini
                    White linen


Trip To The Moon

Well it most certainly has been awhile... And yes I have been busy - crafting!! That's oh so more important than housework or Xmas shopping!! So part of the Creative dreams art journal swap was I had to do a journal and the theme was "Anything" ... It certainly does leave it open to a whole world of possibilities but I have had this idea in my head for a while to do a scene for the movie "Hugo" so I do hope I could I can do it justice... I got the picture and printed it and then did a mirror image so I could have the same on the other page of the journal.

I started with music paper and covered the back, once dry I painted with lime green and white. And then before it dryer I sprinkled glitter over the page. Once dry I used matte medium over the page. I then glued down silver stars randomly and stamped music notes over the back of the page. I then found the middle of the page and stuck down my moon, making sure that they where level on both pages. Again I used matte medium once it was all stuck down. With my cuttlebug I cut out 4 film strips. I used a lady stamp and an Eiffel Tower then drew in the building. I stamped he clouds with cloud paint and drew around them with a silver marker.


I did enjoy doing this page it most certainly was easy but had additional techniques which I wanted to try and enjoyed!!
Thanks for stopping by hope you enjoy XXOO
Joan

Monday 4 November 2013

Eggshell Dairy

Being in New Zealand I have learnt MANY new techniques! both from YouTube, classes and friends I have gained in the scrapping, mixed media industry, I have learnt to play with different textures and something I have tried is eggshells...Yes, eggshells I have done both art journaling with it and I have tried it on a cover which I'm going to share with you today... But if you aren't a patient person then this isn't for you or you need to do it whilst working with another project on the go! It's really a rewarding project when it's finished as the textures are delightful - I loved the look and so love the feel!! So get your patience on and lets get started... You going to have to start to collect eggshells so.


Next time you have eggs keep the shells the more you keep the better I always keep every eggshell, leftovers can always be thrown away when you are finished but once you enjoy the technique you wont throw the left overs away! And like me you just keep collect, my husband cooks and he knows not to even throw 1 shell away or it cause the roof to come crashing down on him...LOL!  Once you have your eggshell, under slow running water peel the membrane of the egg off but be  VERY gentle as not to crumble the shell. Peel it slowly so as to try and keep the membrane peeling of the inside of the shell. If you are struggling then gently ruby it with the water and you will feel it crumble away in you hand until all the membrane is clean from the shell.  Then you have to leave it to dry for up to 6-8hours. You can also leave it up to 4hours(sometimes quicker, my tumble dryer was going and I found it seemed to speed the time up) in a hot window sill with no moisture - you will need to keep lifting them from the plate so that they don't stick to it.


 
Once the eggshells are dry you can use a good PVA glue on the cover of your journal and start to  place it over the cover. at this point you will need to crack the shells to ensure that it is "flattish", you will also place the eggshells cracked dark side up. Let it dry. It is important to let it dry.Don't use a heating tool as the eggshells tend to lift. I do mine just before I go to bed and when I get up I mod podge it!


 
 Apply a thick coat of Mod podge matte over the eggshells. leave to dry. Make sure that the glue is dry as if it isn't dry the eggshells will move whilst applying the mod podge. Don't use a heating tool it will bubble and the eggshells lifts. The thicker your mod podge the better as at this point you will be creating a good barrier for both the eggshells and the paint we will be putting on. Mod podge dries quickly I put it on before taking the kids to school and when I got home I found it was almost dry ...90% so I chose my colour to paint and went ahead and painted.
 
I decided on a Brilliant red - Reeves acrylic. You will need to apply the paint thick over the shells. This takes REALLLLLY long to dry once again you can't use your heat tool due to bubbling. Let it dry over 18hours - yes that is how long it will take and yes that is how thick the paint will need to be. remember eggshells are porous and the absorb is high. Once the paint is dry and if you want a gloss finish you can apply a gloss mod podge for your shine. You can then draw, write your possibilities are endless! I decided to stamp a bunting on paper cut it out and stuck it on then went and added my flower with leaf's and heat embossed my butterfly. I finished my dairy with the ribbons on the binding to add colour and femininity for me....Love it!!!
 
 
Loved doing this project hope you enjoy the challenge and try it next time you do a page or a journal!!
 
Cheers for know:)



Wednesday 30 October 2013

Things with wings

I joined an art journal swap group to help with my journaling.... Okay I have only been journaling for 3 months but I thought what better why to learn than throw myself in the deep end give it a go... Youtube is a dream at teaching new tricks and loving pinterest  for my Quotes and ideas for journals to learn from. This idea was a pinterest idea - Birgit Koopsen. I loved the colours and how calming the effect is was.

Applied a layer of gesso a backing but thicker where I wanted it to have the cracked effect. Left to dry over night.
 
 
I blended two different blue tones - Cloud & Aquarium (MS)
used Meadowlark (MS) with Wedding cake (MS) as my back colours.
Used Indian red oxide (Jo Sonja's' acrylic) for the earth tone. 
With bubble wrap I have white acrylic and just added depth to the pages.

I then took may washi tape and cut it to the size and strips I wanted.
I stamped butterflies and the flowers with my stazon.
My large butterfly is chipboard. I sprayed that with Dylusons purple and then applied clear heat embossing. Then applied versamark and used LuminArte powder - garmnet and re-heated.
Applied some glue and added diamond dust for sparkle!!
Stamped the tail and added black rhinestones...
 
So loved how the page come out!!
 

Saturday 28 September 2013

Lunch Time

Much to my surprise I decided that I didn't want to go plan Jane and chose a two tone background paper which would go great with this theme - the incredibles! We had been invited out to lunch at my uncles farm and Ethan didn't want to eat his lunch when everyone else was eating but much later he finally realised he was actually getting hungry.... He took his chair sat under the tree away from everyone and had me bring him his lunch! A man that knows what he wants - piece and quiet after a busy morning chasing the hens, ducks, dog and what not on the farm!!
With this page I did a little tracing over the pictures of the main character, I knew  the red of the back paper would come through the tracing paper bring in colour to his uniform. I painted the black on his mask, gloves and pants. The boarder I backed as with the leafs to lift and then put foam tape to bring it off the page. The heading(Lunch Time) I split half on one page but still backing it to enhance it on the page.
 
 
On the second layout I did journaling on a tag and the used twine in place of ribbon to match with the theme of garden. I stamped with white ink on black board in the left corner and used white heat embossing. The lemon is a sticker which I placed on a card stock and then cut another circle to add the effect of an additional  lemon by the glass.
I did enjoy this page purely because Ethan was relaxing and getting his second wind before he ran around collecting nuts which we needed to pull out his pockets when he fell a sleep in the car going home.... You've  got to love the journey you go on with your boys!!
 
 
Enjoy XXOO

Ethan's off to "big School"

Starting with a basic colours and then getting a pattern page to match your photo's was always the challenge for me!!! Sue - my teacher started with basic two pages, plain colours and then always brought in the pattern paper to match our pictures ... Yes, I would feel like my head wanted to explode or more like implode when I got to stand in front of all those AMAZING pattern papers! I just wanted to have them all!!!! But NEVER... No, never cut them perhaps roll around on them (in your dreams)naked and then the amazing colours would just magically stick to my body and I would just be that beautiful, colourful & fabulous!!! Refocusing, Sue then showed me the art of choosing the paper - pick a colour out in the photo whether it was a green, orange or red and focus on that as your colours for the page with the pattern paper. Also remember always back your embellishments it will lift them, and they don't blend with the background.
 
 
Here I did a boarder on the left with crayons but due to them being bold in colour I decided to go against what I have just said and didn't back these embellishments. Then used a pre-made frame to place a photo in as it is the only one with both the boy in! The heading has got double sided foam tape to lift it off the page giving it height. I placed ribbon through the tag -"watch out!"
 
 



To show the difference from home to school I shaped the picture differently. Once again every photo is backed yet it is backed on different pattern papers to enhance different elements on the photo.
Had fun doing these pictures as I know my babies are growing fast and I can enjoy them at an age where they want to kiss me at the school gate...
Enjoy XXOO

Saturday 21 September 2013

Kindergarden

 
 
Simplistic elements.... I backed the photo's then using foam stamps I stamped the heading with cream acrylic paints. On the ends of the pages I placed borders. I placed a small picture of Ethan on the "school days" clip board embellishment



I tore around the edges of the picture backing of the black and white photo of Ethan
The class photo got a "tail" which was chalked with dark brown.



Placed journaling on both pages as they where photo's over 3 years I knew that it would always be a fond memory to look back on and see the small difference's in the years. Ethan loved his years at kinder garden and so often he remembers his teacher and her kind heart and gentle nature! Renate will always be a gem in his eye's!
Thank you for the years you have given him and your time and dedication! 
 

All Boy

On these pages we brought in a large variety of colours using strips of paper blending the different colours to enhance the pictures. Each strip has a unique colour palette of it's own as well being different in size adding WOW factor to the page! The circles varying in size also draw you to the centre of the page bring your focus to the photo. Simple pages but effective! Adding small elements of 'boy' embellishments to bring out characteristics of Ethan!
 

 
These images are really special as Ethan was a very sick little baby yet a very happy child. many friends couldn't believe when they would look at this happy boy that he was a sick boy that every 6 week in his life he would be in hospital. after his 1st Birthday they operated and it was as if they flipped the switch in this little mans life and he got healthier by month and for that we have always be very blessed for. over the years he has grown from strength to strength.
Thank you for taking time to enjoy. xxoo

Sunday 15 September 2013

Christmas Music Decoration

This was done with a music book torn and rolled into cones. Each cone was edged with dark brown chalk glued in place on a round board with a centre piece that was glitter heat embossed in red for your Xmas colours and then to bring in Joy for the your embellishment. I used red satin ribbon to match with the red Glitter in my centre piece.



I am entering this into the latest monthly challenge over at Creative Craft Cottage which is 'Round Like A Record'.

Loved doing this wreath, so I decided to do another for Gill, the teacher at the school as she loves her books. Great Christmas gift for a teacher - cost effective and something she will love as not only can I get Ethan involved but it is quick and easy and every Christmas she'll have a wreath made of what she loves...Books! 

So first I took a piece of hard board and used my large dinner plate and drew around it (25cm diameter) that was my base then punched a hole for the ribbon about 2cm from the top. Took satin red ribbon and made a knot through the hole.Then I divided the circle in four with pen or pencil as it is going to be covered with the cones. Know we want our enter piece. I went with 7.5cm in diameter and did 2 circles. 1 will be my base and the top one I did fine heat embossing on in red glitter. then I added a felt "Joy" sign and with liquid pearls I added candy canes at the top and the bottom. on the "Joy" I put gold glitter stickles. I used double layers of foam tape to lift my centre piece.

Took and old book from the second hand store that cost me 50c and tore the pages out and inked one side.

 
 
Once you have inked the pages( you will need at least 50 - 60) you will begin to roll.
First you will place the page in front of you then take your double-sided tape place it in the right hand corners to hold it down. if you are unsure test your cone roll first before rolling. Put long piece on the bottom right side to hold it firm once rolled. of you want to make sure they are all the same size use a "glossy accents" bottle at the top of your cone before taping for consistency.
 
 
 
 
 
As you can see in the picture when I chose pictures from the book I also tore drawings from the book to bring dimensions and character to the wreath due to it being from a story book.
When you stick the cones down start on one of the lines you have drawn and work with a firm glue and remember to glue the side of your cones as well - both sides so as to hold firm.
below you can see how I worked opposites to firstly balance with both the pictures and with sizes as I don't roll my cones with procession. I do how ever have loads of fun when I do the wreath as Ethan tears the pages out the book he does my chalking on the edges and yes he even does the heat embossing!!   

 

 
 

I think give the boys half a chance they would love to all my heat embossing...Ethan enjoys watching it change from the powder to the perfect image!! It's his giggle that I enjoy - I just have to smile every time!!
Great that at 11 he still wants to help make the gifts for his teachers...

hope you can go know and make a wreath of your own.
let me know what you think and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions..

Hope you visit again soon
Love and Kisses
xxoo

Saturday 14 September 2013

Mud Buddies

So often when you going to classes you hoping to keep learning new techniques. My biggest concern was every time I googled images all I found was the most amazing scrapped pages of girls and the layouts where detailed and I could feel my head wanting to just explode! This didn't help me as I have 2 wonderful boys at I all I wanted to do was scrap them. Yet I couldn't and hadn't yet learn't to bring in the amazing palette of colours in to my layouts. Often the Webb sites wouldn't give you details like the sites do today on how to achieve the look you are after. 



As my classes progressed  I got to understand that small details make a big difference on your page. We then began making pockets which was challenging, and then to bring in other textures on to ones page's such as cork or denim! Knowing what glue to use as double sided tape doesn't work with everything was interesting for me as standard glue for paper just wasn't going to work!!! So we needed som fancy pants glue that was going to be strong and going to bond all tough textures to paper...Mono liquid glue gets the job done!! Something else I learnt and is a great technique and do still love using today is when you tear/torn or distress the edges of your paper then you chalk it with the colour of it your page, I invariably stuck with a dark brown.


Cutting out letters became a task all on it's own which I just knew I couldn't deal with and had to find an alternative.... From buying foam letters to getting a mixture of sticker letters to wooden alphabet's but even then I still wanted more! That was when I got introduced to the Cuttlebug! A delightful alternative as I could use my own papers and then discovered that not only could you get letters but a large number of shapes, pictures which opened a whole world of possibilities when doing ones pages! 

Monday 9 September 2013

A Journey

As I continued with my classes I began to understand just how talented both Sue and classes room friends just where! Spending our time crafting away with the amazing papers that where placed in front of us and at this point I couldn't get myself to cut them! So I was always getting one extra just to marvel at, and ending up building up a collection of pattern papers! Yes you could say I've lost my marble's...but as someone who is still new in the this field I found it hard to start mastering the art of selecting the paper to match the photo and I knew it would take time! Just love the passion and the pleasure of derived from scrapping memories....Thank you for this art form!