HILLARYS BLINDS COUNTRY CRAFTS COMPETITION - a teaser

A few weeks ago I got sent details of the HILLARYS BLINDS COUNTRY CRAFTS competition.  It sounded exactly right for me so having looked at the fabric choices sent off for a piece.  I had chosen WILD POPPIES.  When the fabric arrived I was very impressed with the quality and very pleased that it would be perfect for the design I had been thinking of.

So now with the closing date very close I am two thirds there and happy with the way my project is progressing. 

30th March and my project is finished here is a link so you can see it.  http://dreamtimemakes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/vintage-kitten-hillarys-blinds-country.html

WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE Tattoo inspired purse number one

 Back to creating purses out of cigar boxes, this time round they have become a little darker - inspired by some of the awesome tattoos that are being displayed by so many people.  It amazes me how such a plain box can change into something really unique, it is almost as if they take on their own destiny.  


So welcome to my nightmare as I show you my first 'by ink, inspired' creation.

 There were hints of a blacker side with the 'WHAT'S YOUR POISON' purse, I made some time ago, that was covered with various vintage poison labels. This has been one of my favourite bags and I use it often.

 Each flower has been handcrafted whether it has been made from polymer clay and then painted before being varnished ......

..... or if the flowers have been made from fabric, these circles (cut using my FUSE) made really effective flowers when completed.

Using pages from an Anne Rice vampire novel I decopatched the box before adding a lovely dark floral designed paper and painting the box.  
 The skull heart and some text was added front & back and that was also painted.
 Flowers were added to the front  and given beaded centres.

 

Heart and key metal charms have been attached using strings of black beads.

The handle is covered with a toning chiffon ribbon and fabric flowers are then fixed to its base, with clay flowers climbing up one side.

 The whole has been varnished inside and out making it very hardwearing.  Although it is a fairly small bag it is big enough for everything needed for a night out.

 Sorry fan and vintage evening gloves not included
 https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/183566328/unique-tattoo-inspired-wooden-purse?ref=ss_listing

 I am uncertain if a 'wooden stake' charm would add a quirky charm to this style of bag or whether it would just be horribly twee and spoil the effect - I would love to know how you feel about it.

Beaded centres to the handcrafted flowers

FISKARS FUSE - how much can it do

THE FISKARS FUSE one of the more expensive die cutting machines on the market at the moment.  So what can it do?  I had no plans to get a die cutter, in fact while decorating my Christmas cakes I had cut up several embossing folders that I had got as cover gifts so I could use them to emboss icing (this worked really well).

However just before Christmas I was in my local HOBBYCRAFT store and saw their display of die cutters.
http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/ 
The one that caught my eye was the FUSE, but as I had found the last system I possessed limiting and it was expensive I decided I wasn't that bothered.  The next week I looked again and saw that it was compatible with other makes of dies and the adaptor plates were included in the offer price. 

 This changed things,  all the dies and embossing folders I had been looking at would work with it.  There was a clip of things it would cut, emboss and letter press.  This all made it more desirable.  Still not wanting to rush into it I went home watched some stuff on Youtube checked some magazines and then asked if I could have it for Christmas.  
http://www2.fiskars.com/Crafting/Products/Endless-Possibilities

 Trial runs have been interesting and I have managed to damage my adaptor cutting mat a little so I will need a new one.  So was it worth it ...... YES!

 All the reviews I read or watched only used the plates that came with the Fuse.  I have used it with a wide range of dies and embossing plates/folders. 

 To begin with I used various papers and thin cards and then I remembered that it would work on leather.  
These are my first attempts.

So far I have only embossed the leather with my cutting dies.  The first piece was fairly thick so I wasn't expecting too much.  The ship was done on thinner leather and I think if I had run it through the machine a couple more times then it would have cut the leather.  I think there are loads of possibilities.  

There is also storage  there is also storage on one side of the machine - just big enough for my current collection.

Getting Ahead - a step foreward to avoid future panic

Every year  as Christmas gets closer there begins the yearly panic as I think about the cards.  There have times when making them has been more of a chore than a pleasure (to begin with) and I have felt it would be much easier to buy the cards.
This year as papers, peel offs, card and glitter were still on the table and needed sorting I thought that making cards would be the best option.  An easy way to use up excess supplies, a lack of pressure would make card making fun again, and as I like to do a lot of baking at Christmas having the cards made in advance would give me more time to do so.  
I also wanted to be firm with myself and get rid of any papers I had had for too long or didn't like very much.  
The end result is a box with more cards than I need, more space in the cupboards and a happy neighbour who has been given the excess for the school she works at.
 

 

A SPECIAL CARD FOR A SPECIAL WEDDING part 2 -

My completed card - my version of their fairy tale.  I used my bind-it-all http://www.binditall.com/
on either side so I could get the effect I wanted.
Once upon a time

And my story begins, using pages from the DCWV pad and some printed pictures of WW1 maps (slightly burnt)
In a far away land

Torn papers and an altered picture bring life to a joke from the invitation. 
Laid waste by war

A photo of Bedgebury pinetum becomes my forest, layered and tweaked using craft artist http://www.daisytrail.com/
There was a vast forest

 The same photo with a fairy 

tale castle added to it and some stamping.
In the heart of the forest stood a castle

And the story continues in a similar style of altered photos and stamping.
Inside the castle kept safe behind high walls,thorny hedge and gate

They lived happily ever after.   
My (found)cat wedding picture used and the last half page turns for our message to the Bride and Groom.

A SPECIAL CARD FOR A SPECIAL WEDDING

 SOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS ARE GETTING MARRIED and I found a lovely picture that I wanted to use in some way on their card.  A picture of two cats.  I had no idea what form this card was going to take - just that I wanted this picture.  Various ideas drifted about but none were quite right.  Even after the invitation arrived I had no clear idea.

 Then my muse struck ...... a booklet type card.  A lot of work, yes.  Worth every minute, yes.  
Starting with the DCWV Once upon a time 8" x 8" pad I looked for the right images for this fairy tale.

A castle, a forest, gates and a joke linked to the invitation.  Pictures found and then altered using CRAFT ARTIST. http://www.daisytrail.com/gallery.html

To make my card I began with a sketch, I don't usually do this but I wanted to know exactly how many pages I would need.  I also had to know where to split the pages to add an air of mystery to my story.  With the pictures chosen, altered and stuck to my backing pages I bound my card using my Zutter Bind-it-all.  It seemed right to try alternate pages for this card, I was a little worried about doing this without a trial run but it worked really well.  I rounded the corners of the pages to give a nice finish.
http://www.binditall.com/ 

With the base card made I can really go to town decorating the pages.  
Using an arched window background sheet I cut out the bridal cats and after sticking them down highlighted some features with glitter glue.

ENVELOPES THE FINISHING TOUCH

I have a very bad habit of creating odd size cards.  Sometimes I mean to but mostly it is what I end up with.  This means that I have a beautiful (in my opinion) card and no envelope to fit it.  In the past I have put it into an envelope that is an OKish fit but I haven't been happy with my presentation or put the card in with the present.  All that is changing from NOW.

I have been asked to make some cards for a friend for her nieces, a few guidelines but anything I liked to do.  The first card was not a standard size - this time I was not going to be beaten.  Armed with a CRAFTERS COMPANION ulitimate pro and an additional envelope board http://www.crafterscompanion.co.uk/christmas-c2661/ultimate-pro-c2681/crafters-companion-the-ultimate-crafters-companion-pro-p1905 I decided to beat my envelope jinx.

The first problem was easily solved; a card that was rather thick just needed a box-type envelope, so using the ulitimate craft pro I made the envelope wide enough.  The second problem was a little harder.  A 12" x 12" piece of 160gsm was not quite big enough for an envelope for my 8" x 7.5" card.  After a little thought I found the answer . . . make the envelope to size on three sides leaving the top a little short and then cut two triangles to make the top piece of the envelope large enough to cover the card.  Glue one to the outside and a slightly smaller one to the inside of the flap.  No one will ever know it wasn't meant to be.  I finished of the envelope with a little ribbon.