Sunday, December 30, 2012

New Years Eve International Streamathon


UPDATED 30 DECEMBER 2012

For all information about the Worldwide New Years Eve Streamathon - click here!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Little Miss Closet - So Far

The Little Miss Closet is a closet created by Kathy Orta (PaperPhenomenon) and I was challenged to make the closet by Eileen (BocaBabeArt). Thanks Eileen!

It was a struggle in the beginning as I wasn't quite sure how I would go with it, the tutorial was a bit of a struggle to follow sometimes but I got there in the end with the help of the video tutorials.

I was very lucky to have a couple of great online friends who gifted me the Ladies Diary packs (thanks Susan & Annette), along with the stamp set and die cuts (thanks Annette). This project screamed Ladies Diary so I couldn't wait to build the closet to get to covering it and embellishing. This paper line was made for a project like this!

I also loved the privacy screen, which sits inside one of the doors of the closet. Instead of wrapping it in black cardstock I used black chipboard so as to have less bulk - love love loved how this turned out!

So I'm not finished yet as I'm waiting on some strong magnets so the doors can stay closed against the mini album and the privacy screen. I cannot cover the album until I get the magnets, so this project will have to go on the backburner for a bit. Can't wait to finish it though. This one's going to my grand daughter, Amelia - but not for a few years as she's only 2 and too young to appreciate it yet!

So here is the link to the YouTube video showing a slideshow of the closet and mini album and privacy screen so far.


A Fishy Canvas?

Today being Friday, it was my usual day to stream and Mandy suggested I should do a canvas with a photo of Amelia (my grand daughter, Mandy's daughter). So that's what I intended to do, however ...

My idea of a canvas, my uneducated idea, was nowhere near what I ended up creating.

O - M - G !!! How stinking awesome is this technique??? I had Darcie, Darcie's sister Johnna, and Eileen advising me of what I should do to create the canvas. Now I was happy to go along with whatever they suggested - even when at times I thought "What the ???", but I persisted, and oh I'm so glad I did. Those ladies did an amazing job instructing me on this canvas. For those of you who have been to a few of my streams where I'm being "instructed" on how to do something will know I don't really take instructions too well LOL, so theses three were unbelievably GOOD!

I just wish Mandy had suggested I take photos of the canvas at the various stages in the beginning. You would NOT believe where it all started from LOL. Anyway, here are some pics of what it eventually became (it's not quite finished yet though, I need to add a plaque above the photo, and tidy up the sides).

You can watch how the ladies & I created this canvas on my Ustream channel here.


Friday, October 26, 2012

Ink Storage Unit - Mark II (completed)

Here's another ink storage unit - this time it holds 24 Ranger Archival Ink Pads, 24 Distress Ink Pads and 24 Alcohol Ink Refill bottles.

This unit was created pretty much like the original was but sizing had to be adjusted due to the longer depth of the Archival Ink pads. However this created an advantage which allowed room for the addition of the Alcohol Ink bottles - score! This unit is for Mandy - enjoy!

I haven't written a tutorial for this one as yet, and don't think I will either. I will provide the measurements here and you can create it pretty much in the same way as the original storage unit.

Each layer measures 7" x 7". The height is 13 1/4" (this is without including the spinner - yes this one spins too!).

The labels for the Archival Ink pads are different as only one label on each of the two shorter ends is required. This posed a problem, along with the fact that as there is a longer area to cover, the paper strip does not extend to the entire perimeter. Not important anyway, as long as both ends can be labelled - which they are. You can grab the label sheet here.

Please email or leave a comment here with a link to your completed storage units.

Have fun creating!





Saturday, October 6, 2012

Ink Storage Unit - Mark II

OK! Mark II is here! Well, minus the spinner (sheesh! have to wait for that to be delivered).

This storage unit holds 24 Distress Inks pads, 24 Ranger Archival Ink pads and 24 of either Distress Ink Refill bottles or 24 Distress Stickles bottles or 24 Alcohol Ink bottles - or a mixture.

It is 13 1/4" tall and just under 7" wide and is 12 layers of chipboard and glue!!!

I must say this one worked out quite well given the different widths between the Distress Ink pads and Archival Ink pads which allowed an inch gap for the ink bottles to be included! It just had to be!

Anyway, I think I'm done with the tower building for the moment hehehe.







Monday, October 1, 2012

Stacked Hinge Mini Albums

Well, I've really think I've perfected the combination binding systems by Kathy Orta (hidden hinge) and Laura Denison (Stack the Deck) into my Stacked Hinge binding system!

Below are two mini albums I've recently made using the Stacked Hinge binding system, and believe it or not these mini albums can come together in an afternoon sitting.

I used chipboard for the cover & spine of the "camera" styled mini album, and inked up some grunge paper and rounded the spine of the second mini. Both these methods I used the Stacked Hinge binding system, and it works great on both spined mini albums!

 I streamed both styles of mini albums in a couple of streams recently and you can check the first recording here.

 













Sunday, September 23, 2012

Distress Ink Storage Unit - Finished

Well, it's finally finished! And I love it!

The completed height (from floor - including spinner) is approximately 12 1/2". The width is 6 square inches.

I used quite a few sheets of medium weight chipboard, the Destinations paper by Tim Holtz (why would you use anything other than Timmy on this project) and lots and lots of Aleene's Tacky Glue.

For anyone wanting to make this storage unit you can view and print a pdf copy of the measurements here. You could also adapt it to hold most ink pads. The Ranger Archival ink pads fit in and jut out only about an inch or so. It came together in only a couple of days. I recorded making it (not colouring the labels) on Ustream and you can check it out here.

I made the labels by typing them up in a Word document. They are 1/2" high and 11 1/4" long so that the name of the ink could be positioned on all four sides of the ink pad. A pdf version of the labels is available here. (Please note this is version 2 of the labels as the first was missing Squeezed Lemonade - sorry).

The best part of this project is that it SPINS!!! Yay!













Here's a video of the storage unit in action (spinning).


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Distress Ink Pad Storage Unit - So Far

Well I must say that I'm loving how this storage unit for my Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads is coming out!
I'm using a Plastic Spinner as the base (so it will be a revolving storage unit) and chipboard "shelving" units) - 44 of them! Yes, that's right! They'll be stacked 11 high and there will be 4 units in all - one on each corner.
I'm hoping to finish it today, but the waiting time for each stack to dry is killing me!
If you plan to make a set of these make sure you have a good supply of bulldog clips handy as you'll need them! This is the only thing that's stopping me from making it sooner - oh and time LOL.
So this is just a sneak peak of what I've done so far.
Tutorial and more later!









Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Aussie Scrappers Society - September Scrap Fusion Challenge

Well another 12x12 layout completed! Thank goodness for challenges or I'd never get any layouts done LOL.

This challenge was set by Tamara Goulden over at Aussie Scrappers Society on Facebook. This is a closed group and invitation only.

The theme for this month's challenge was "chipboard and sewing/stitching".
Instead of getting the sewing machine out (lazy) I just did some stitching.





I started out by cutting 9 pieces of 4" x 4" white cardstock and dry embossed each square using the Craft Concepts "In Stitches" embossing folder. I then sprayed the entire page with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist first in Perfect Peach, then Forest Green. I then inked up the raised sections with Bundled Sage Distress Ink and then adhered all squares down on a piece of grey 12" x 12" cardstock.

I then typed up the word INSPIRATION and printed it out on cardstock. I then punched holes in all the letters (so as to look like sewing needle holes), then positioned it onto my page and punched again (so the holes appeared in the actual 12x12 page. Then using green embroidery thread (6 strands) began using backstitch to "write" the word.

I did quite a bit of building and layering on this layout which I video taped during making the layout so I think I'll just detail the materials used and if you would like to see how it all came together you can watch it on YouTube here (when I get a chance to edit & upload LOL).

* Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Perfect Peach, Forest Green, Golden Terracotta) * Creative Concepts "In Stitches" embossing folder * Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Bundled Sage, Vintage Photo and Black Soot * Hug Snug Seam Binding in "Winter White" * Goods Docket rubber cling stamp CI-306 by Crafty Individuals * Daisy Scallop edge punch from EK Success * Ruler embossing folder by Cuttlebug's Embossing Folder 7 "Measure by Measure" * Tape Measure stamp from the Technique Tuesday "Measure Up" stamp set * Tim Holtz On the Edge "Sewing Edge" die * Tim Holtz Alteration "Sewing Room" die * Victorian Romance Flourish die by Cheery Lynn Designs * Labels Four die from Spellbinders * various trims, lace, embroidery thread, Scor-tape, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, pop dots & cardstock

This was a fun challenge, thanks Tamara :)

Can't wait to see what everyone else did!












Thursday, September 13, 2012

Another Box of Drawers for my Charms

Well, I just had to make another set of drawers covering them with designer paper, rather than painting them. I also reduced the height of the boxes because I found that I had way too much empty space in each drawer as I don't have that many of the same charm LOL.
I think I prefer the faux timber look myself, but these turned out OK I think.
I will try to post measurements for this set tomorrow but the tutorial in the faux timber set should be able to be used for making this with the exception of the different box & box frame sizes (add tomorrow). The height and width of the completed set is exactly the same as the previous set.