Hello everyone, how are you on this cold and snowy (well in the UK at least) WOYWW?
So, on my desk this week is my heat proof mat with some hot glue skull and cross bones and cogs that I have made ready to decorate my "Truvia" sweetner box (hidden at the back) that was on my desk last week. The box is drying at the moment (I love multi medium as a glue but it really does take overnight to dry!) so I hope to post the finished box and another tutorial (I really cannot fathom youtube!) on how to make the hot glue embellishments later this week.
My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are "Romantic suspect slays crazy naked star!" They really do sound like plots for books sometimes!
I thought I would show you the snowman that my hubby decided to make....
Yep, a scary tikki head. Placed at the end of the garden to spook the neighbours kids!! I told him it was crafting...but in a manly way!!
The great thing about the snow is that I don't feel gulity about staying in at the weekend, catching up on housework and of course, rewarding myself with some serious craft time.
If you saw my stencil tutorial on my last post, I thought I would share with you the 'mop up' page.
This is the page I pressed the leftover of my inky stencils onto. I really liked the page (I find it difficult to leave white space, I love the effect, but it is something I am really going to concentrate on experimenting with during 2013). I then did some scribbles in black ink. It does actually say something meaningful (to me at least) but I have tried to scribble it to disguise the words a little. For a leftover page I am really pleased with this.
If you would like a legal snoop around desks across the globe you can join in here
Stay safe and warm and happy crafting
Kyla
Evening all. I awoke to snow this morning! Now I know for some of you that is not unusual, but here in the south west of the UK we don't get that much, and certainly not that fast, 5" in a few hours...its covered up all my weeds and dead plants in the garden and it looks so pretty now!
Have you been watching the CHA 2013 video's on the web? I know I have. They are so inspiring and I now have a rather long lust list of Tim Holtz new goodies (his new paints look fabulous) and Dylusions (WHITE spray ink!! I need it, plus ALL the new colours!!).
However, after spending SO long clearing out my craft space I vowed that anything coming into the room needed to be productive and get used (that includes me!! I admit I often sit here, Spotify or BBS6 music playing and before I know it an hour has passed me by!!) and the fact that January is rather a lean month, so I thought I would use up some more of my stash to see if I could make new stash.
Inspired by both Dina Wakely and Dyan Reavley (they are both so talented) I decided to make a figure mask from some leftover plastic.
I chose a figure from a magazine
I traced it with a permanent marker
and cut it out so I had both a postitive and negative image.
I inked through the stencil with Dylusion inks and then used black acrylic with gold interference paint to add some depth, using the figure cutout to protect the image.
I stamped through with a Dylusions background stamp (I use these all the time they are so versatile) and also stamped it with white stayz on using the stamp without an acrylic block so I could bend the stamp slightly and use part of the image.
I added circles of white paint (using the dylusions ink lid as a stamp).
I love the effect, the stencil is no where near as good as the dylusions one (in either detail or quality) BUT its a great way for me to see if it is a product I would use in the future before I look to making the investment (which lets face it will probably happen quite soon!!).
That's it for now, I am off for a warming cuppa (or maybe some mulled cider.....much more suitable with the snow outside I think!).
Happy crafting
Kyla
Hello peeps. How are you all keeping? Well I hope.
On my desk this week is my 365 journal as I am trying to get ahead of the game and am already prepping Februarys backgrounds.
The truvia box is empty and it seems too good to throw away, so I am thinking of covering it, painting it and turning it into a treasure chest! Not sure yet, just an idea I have floating around.
I will keep this short as I know fellow WOYWWers will have many desks to get round, but if you'd like a legal snoop around desks across the globe, feel free to join Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday here .
The Queen of WOYWW, the lovely Julia is very friendly (mad as a box of frogs if you meet her, but a lovely lass) and there are SO many of us loyal followers that you are bound to be inspired (I know I am).
Happy crafting
Kyla
Hello peeps, how are you keeping? After over 4 weeks I am finally starting to feel better! This winters bugs are nasty and so many people have or are suffering. If you are, I hope you are on the mend.
Have you been watching all the fun of the CHA unfold on the blogs? I must admit, I have loved every sneak peak and behind the scenes that are being posted (especially Dyan's, Hels and of course the Duke of Distress') and more than once I have almost pressed the "buy now" button on the 24/7 craft shop that is the internet!! But I am so proud as I didn't (though, not sure how long my restraint will last!).
So, back to crafts....this is the card I made for my Mum's birthday (which was last week so its safe to post it on here now!).
The tag is cut out of patterened paper and put through a script embossing folder and the edges touched with some DI. I added the picture of the sailboat (its actually a price tag off clothes that my dad saves me 'cos he knows "I like bits and bobs that can be reused!!!") and added the word "Journey" (as its very pertinent for my mum). I die cut a bird (also from an upcycled clothes tag) and stamped it with the script outline (from paperartsy).....ooh, it almost looks like I have a plan using 2 lots of script to bring it all together (must admit, more of a happy accident at this stage!). I added some flower ribbon, a flower and some beads on a wire.
At the top of the card I added a buddha that I made from a mould and some friendly plastic, as my mum is interested in buddhism, some TH film strip (as she is always taking photos) and attached it with my tiny attacher (I am still loving this tool).
In the middle of the flower I added a pink heart that I made from resin and some bells that I rusted.
I stamped a card base with my TH script (ooh..this is really looking like a plan!) to bring it all together and added some buttons and a bit of fern to balance the card.
Right, I am off to scan the virtual world for more CHA fun!!
Happy crafting
Kyla
Welcome back everyone. Have you all gotten back into the swing of things? Finished off your Chrimbo choccies and the last swig of sherry? No?! Well done, as they say choccies and sherry are for life not just for christmas (or is that a dog....never sure on that one!!).
So this week on my desk (I still have a tidy room....well tidy for me!) is a selection of journals and gesso. I have my A4 365 Journal (for the Kate Crane challenge see the link in my side bar), my A5 journal for wipe ups etc and my small travel journal....if I am getting paints out I may as well prep several pages at one time (ooh, get me.....tidy and organised!...Place your bets, how long will this last?!).
My Man Bites Dog cards this week spelt out "New Cop Lost Convict DNA"....I was quite pleased with the cards this week!
If you spotted my tutorial in my earlier post and you know HOW to get wretched youtube to allow me to upload a short video in less than 5 hrs....please let me know!
So, if you'd fancy a legal snoop around desks across the globe then visit the queen, Julia, here for all the deets and links (including the date for the next WOYWW crop!!!! Not that some of us dropped hints for another one!!)
Happy crafting
kyla
Hello, I hope you are having a fabulous weekend.
I thought I would post a tutorial (tried videoing it but after 2 hrs awaiting for youtube to upload only 3% of it I gave up and assumed that I have done it wrong! So am using photos instead).
I had some left over thin plastic sheeting I got from the scrap store (left over recycled industrial waste-no idea what its original purpose was) and decided to have a go at making my own stencils.
I cut a few moths (I must admit, I prefer moths to butterflies....much more mysterious) with my big shot and my paper artsy moth die.
I made sure I had them flying in different directions
I then used the positive and negatives of the stencils and coloured them with my dylusion sprays and a touch of heirloom gold perfect pearls spray
I over stamped with my Tim Holtz script stamp and adirondack pesto ink pad
I peeled the moth stencils off (cleaned them...well, wiped them on the apron...and set them aside so they can be used again) and with archival ink I added the paper artsy moth stamp
I roughed up the edges with my ever present Tim Holtz scissors
Used the masking technique to add some wings to a clock face
Then attached the clock and added a layer of glossy accents for the glass like finish
I also made an ATC using the left over stenciled paper and my TH ATC die, adding some a typed word, some torn and distressed cardboard from my recycling bin and I cut out one of the moths from my TH paper stash
I admit I am a big fan of stencils and I will definitely have a go at making them again, maybe even a free hand cut one?
If you have a go at making your own, I would love to hear how you got on.
I am entering the ATC into the http://funwithatcs.blogspot.co.at/2013/01/challenge-78-something-new.html
Happy crafting
Kyla
Happy First WOYWW of 2013, I hoped you all had a marvellous festive break and are ready to crack on with a new year and meet head on anything it throws at you?!
So, I took this photo a few days ago...hubby went to the sales (I must admit, for a woman, I really cannot stand shopping at the best of times so avoid the sales as best I can!) and I decided to blitz my craft room!!
I pulled out all the storage containers....emptying them into 3 piles (bin, charity/swap and keep) but soon I ran out of room...
and spilled all over our bed in the next room!!! I had music playing loudly and was really getting into it when I realised it was dark outside, it looked like a whirlwind had hit our house and he would be home soon!! So, I girded my loins (I presume you can still do that these days?!!) and pulled my finger out...
Check it out! Now I know to some of you fellow WOYWWers this still looks messy, but believe me everything is in a box, pot of takeaway container (those things are SO useful!). All the bits on the desk are mainly photos of previous makes I use as inspiration so it looks worse than it is...but look...there is carpet (admittedly its covered in glitter and ink sprays....boy that stuff does get everywhere!).
So, my desk this week is clean! The 'Man Bites Dog' cards are "Actor Shoots Mystery Tourist"....ooh!
Whilst cleaning up I found my dad's x-acto knife kit (must be at least 30 years old)...I love the fact that it can be used for stripping (think they may have changed its meaning these days!) and taxidermy!! A new craft for me maybe?!
Sorry this post is photo heavy, I tend to keep Wednesday ones short, but if you fancy a legal snoop around desks across the globe, then the queen of desks, Julia, can be found here
Happy Crafting
Kyla
Happy New Year everyone.
For the past 12 months I have been taking part in Kate Cranes 365 journal challenge here
Its the first time I have done journaling and its defiantly the longest I have ever stuck with anything! A whole year!!
Here is the roundup of my year
The Olympic torch came through our village....it was great to see the streets lined with people and everyone cheering
My book started falling apart in Jun so I had to wind some fancy wool around it to hold it all together!
Nice and 'hot' colours for August....just to remind me that it is actually summer....wettest one for more than 100 years, west country flooded again!
I couldn't resist adding some leaves and apples to September's page....apples are so important here in the west country....cider! Drink of the gods!!
Then it starts all over again (albeit in a larger journal so I have more room to decorate!)
For those of you who have been thinking of joining in...I can thoroughly recommend it, once the page is decorated each day only takes a minute....and its been great reading through the years enteries and remembering what I have been up to (memory isnt quite what it used to be!!!).
Happy Crafting
Kyla
Hello peeps, it's the end of the year and what a year it has been.
My nephew was christened, my brother got engaged (for those of you who don't know, he lives in Ecuador and met a lovely girl over there, who before moving to Ecuador lived just a couple of miles away from him in London-see the world is small!!), I went to many art exhibitions (including one that had live tattooing....with free cider!), saw a lot of live comedy, went to many vintage fairs, loved every minute of the Olympics and especially the Paralympics, saw lots of live music, a festival and re-embraced my love of outdoor wild swimming (which I grew up doing). Oh yes, and work full time and lots of craft!!! (phew, reading this back its no wonder I am knackered!).
To end the year I finally finished my MDF banner I have been making.
It is hung above the window in the craft room
I added homemade resin pieces (purple jewels, pink roses and a steam punk piece above the letter t). I dyed plain white lace with distress reinkers (shaded lilac and brushed corduroy), covered the MDF with TH papers and cut the letters out of my TH Sizzix wordplay die (my new Christmas pressie from my hubby......the boy did good!!.....downside is that it doesn't cut all the letters....but he has contacted the supplier and I am sure after the holiday season they will be back in touch and will sort it out).
I hope you all had a fabulous festive season and I look forward to 2013 with anticipation.....
Not sure about new years resolutions....they tend to put pressure on you (and I have enough of that) so maybe work less, craft more?
Happy crafting
Kyla
Hello peeps....I am finally feeling almost back to normal after being poorly (well, as normal as a I can) and have decided to upload some photo's (couldn't post them before as they were Christmas pressies!).
So, the title of my post. I seem to have inadvertently set myself 2 challenges over the past few days (because of course, this isn't a busy time of year at all!!) On 23rd December I had the brilliant idea to make my Dad a present....no quick project for me....nope....I decided to make him a scrap book!
One of my Coven secret santa gifts were 3 chipboard scrap books so I used one of those. I printed out the photos and covered each of the papers with patterned papers, sanding back the edges to distress and soften them. I then edged them with distress ink and on the front pages I added a couple of Tim Holtz metal corners,
I embellished most of the pages with cogs, ribbon and as my Dad is a keen photographer I included some Tim Holtz mini negative strips. To add a little aged sparkle (well the photo's were from the suprise 70th party we threw Dad back in November!) I added some blue foil around the edges of the pages, rubbing back to expose the paper underneath in some areas (the blue edges on the picture below).
To decorate the cover I made a blue resin heart. I coloured the resin by mixing in mica powder, it gives a lovely opaque colour with a fantastic depth of colour. That is one of the great things about mica, it can be used in so many ways.
I was pleased I made my Dad a handmade gift......but I really do test myself by deciding it less than 48 hrs before it being opened!
Challenge 2 is I plan on starting the new year in a different way.....with a tidy craft room!! To start I have bought 3 large lidded storage containers and am part way through sorting out all my fabric and sewing stash (which is dumped....and I mean dumped) that has been spilling behind my dining room table for more than year now.....I like the have some small triumphs before tackling the craft room....which those of you who follow me on WOYWW know that trying to sort out the craft room is no mean feat.....I am not planning on doing it all (I haven't totally lost my marbles yet!), I thought I would tackle one of the stacking drawer cabinets...they are a bit of a glory hole so if I can tidy them up and organise them better I am hoping I may be able free up at least 1/2 a drawer for some of my Christmas craft stash!!
Wish me luck with my task....I may be some time!
Happy crafting
Kyla
