Friday, August 22, 2014

Gilded Life - Vintage Layout

Well, I may have cut it close, but it looks like I managed to create a project for all six categories for the Gilded Life/Spellbinders contest. And, I've got almost 30 minutes to spare!  I have really enjoyed creating with these products and want to thank Spellbinders and A Gilded Life for hosting such a generous contest and for creating lines that inspire me so much.

This last creation is a layout - and I have no idea who the pretty girl in the photo is!  She was discovered at a thrift sale years ago and has been waiting for just the right project.  I have a feeling she would love the Gilded Life as much as I do.

I wanted to emboss some May Arts Satin ribbon, so to make that happen, I backed the ribbons with a thick interfacing first, and it made the ribbons cushy enough to hold the embossed designs.





  

I used the Fleur de Flourish die to cut matching Core Couture paper for the inside of the bezel, and painted the metal for a shabby appearance. The crystal beads are another tag sale rescue. 

Thanks for putting up with my frenzy of blog posts! I hope you've enjoyed my creations.

Gilded Life - Silk Ruffle Bracelet


Alright, so here is project #5 - my entry for A Gilded Life/Spellbinders contest in the jewelry category.  I guess it pays to be a bit of a packrat, because I had the perfect metal bangle bracelet to use for the base of this piece.  I altered the Love Wings Pendant by painting it with Looking Glass paint, and then highlighting the raised areas with black paint.  I also add the cross from the relics pack to the center.  I used two of May Arts Ribbons new colors of silk ribbon, and just gathered them, and added a row of May Arts rhinestones as well.

Gilded Life - Heavy Metal Bag

As promised, here is another project for the Spellbinder's/Gilded Life contest.  I've always loved antique evening bags, and decided to create my own using a vintage purse frame and some rich, metallic fabrics that I've been hoarding for quite some time.

I used some free motion embroidery/quilting to create the base of the bag....and then the fun experiments started!

I had the idea to emboss silk velvet using the texture plates, but instead of  running it through my machine, I used a steam iron to set the fibers.  Then I inked over the raised areas to create a stronger pattern.  I embellished the medallion with a Vintage Swarovski crystal - which was the perfect color and bling.

I die cut several metallic fabrics, which would normally fray, but I backed them with Vellum first, before running it through my Grand Caliber, and it did great!
I'm off to work on my final two projects!

Gilded Life - Reflections of the Past Altered Mirror





The hours are closing in...and I've got more projects for the Spellbinders/Gilded Life  contest!  I'm hoping to have a project for each of the categories, but we'll see what happens by midnight.   I've had this mirror from my grandmother's house for years, stuck out in my garage, waiting for inspiration.  It finally hit me that I not only wanted to embellish the frame, but I wanted to completely alter the mirror as well. 

The piece started out rather tired, but had the perfect style for my idea.

I removed the mirror from the frame and sanded the heck out of the back surface. I copied a photograph from a book from 1910 onto vellum and glued her to the back of the mirror.  In real life, you see the image, but you can also see through her...very cool.  

I added a border to the back of the glass using the Petite Monarch die, cut from gold vellum. (Here you can also see how much of the backing paint was removed.)


I repainted the frame with Viva Decor Ferro Special Effect Paste in Amber Gold, and highlighted areas with Copper Smooch.  I glued antique glass pearls around the inner lip of the frame and used the same pearls to hang a small necklace adornment with the Relic at the top. I also made a small crown to fit over the top of the mirror.

  
 The flowers were made from copper sheet using the Crown Circle die.
 
I'll be back with another project soon!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Spellbinders/Gilded Life Contest

I've been a big fan of the Gilded Life for quite some time - so when I saw their Spellbinder's collection, it made my heart swoon. My mind has been filled with ideas of vintage lace, German glass glitter, beads and baubles ever since this fantastic contest was announced.  Somehow, there just aren't enough hours in the day to create all of the ideas that I have. But, I have been working, (and will continue to do so until the midnight hour!).

So for now, I have a card to share with you, using this fabulous line.  If you missed my Mixed Media piece that I'm entering in the contest, you can check it out here (it's the last project in the post).





My background was created using one of the Vintage Brocade die, using a letterpress technique to embed the color in the debossed areas. The Basioica Border and Belgian Lace were used to embellish.  

 
 The chipboard frame was embossed using the Wrought Iron Texture plate - and was backed with vintage embroidered fabric. The Crowned Angel was altered bit using Smooch Ink.

The roses were created using Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms.

Thanks for stopping by! I've still got a few more projects up my sleeve, so come back and check out what I come up with!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Heartfelt Creations Inspiration





Heartfelt Creations Products and Products Carried by HC 
HCDP1 246 Festive Christmas Paper Collection

HCD 734 Sun Kissed Fleur Die Set
HCPC 3622 O little Town PreCut Set
HCPC 3625 Festive Notes PreCut Set
HCPC 3623 Festive Candlelight PreCut Set
HCPC 3557 Christmas Poinsettia PreCut Set
1259723 Art Institute Glue (Dries Clear)
Paper Blossoms Molding Mat
Paper Blossoms Tool Kit 
Other Products Used 


May Arts Ribbon SN14
Memento Ink - Tuxedo Black; Versamark Watermark ink
Smooch - Gold
Gold Embossing Powder
Martha Stewart Micro Beads
Copic Markers: G28,G24,G20;
Zva Creative Pearls: PEW-03CB-122; CR-07CA-125
Xyron 9" Creative Station, Teresa Collins Foam Adhesives, Teresa Collins Adhesive Kit Box
WorldWin Cardstock

Take a 5 x7" card base and adhere the printed panel. Cut the patterned paper panel for the center, and cut away the center label.  Stamp the background on light colored patterned paper and adhere to the back of the panel. Add to the card base. Cut the long, narrow panel and stamp the sentiment in gold. Adhere to the center of the card.  Stamp the lantern and color.  Fussy cut and add to the card with foam adhesives. Stamp the poinsettia with watermark ink and heat emboss with gold powder.  Cut with the matching die.  Color and add micro beads for the flower center. Adhere to the card with foam adhesives.  Finish with pearls and ribbons as shown.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Core’dinations Design Team Call

Are you ready for a fun (although long) post?  Well grab your cup of tea and let's go!  Core'dinations Cardstock is having a design team call - and I love this company. Because their paper is either a matching or contrasting core (never white cores) - there are so many great techniques that are possible- where as other products just won't work. This paper is very versatile- I enjoy using it for cards and layouts, but it's also my favorite for mixed media projects.   I can only  give you a little taste of what can be created today, but if you haven't tried this paper - go get some now, and join the fun.


Project 1 - Card in a Box
Fancy Fold cards are always fun, and I thought this Card in a Box would be  a great way to show a potpourri of techniques and papers. While none of these techniques are hard, you put them all together, and you've got the wow factor. On this project I constructed the base, dry embossed, sanded, stamped, heat embossed, paper pieced the stamped flower, stencilled, fringed, punched, inked and die cut.

This amazing little box will fold flat and fit in an envelope.

The flowers and leaves were stamped on multiple colors of Core'dinations and paper pieced.



Supplies Project 1
Core'Dinations Vintage Collection
Core'Dinations Black Magic
Core'Dinations Whitewash
Core'Dinations Core Couture
Core'Dinations Super Assortments
Fun Journey Stampers: Greet and Shout, Enjoy the Journey, Summer Garden, Butterflies Die Set, Pennants die set, Color Fusion Ink
May Arts Ribbon


Project 2 - Shabby Floral Card

Project 2 - Shabby Floral Card
1. Cut a 4 x 6" card base from the Graphic 45 collection.
2.  Cut a 3.75" x 5.75" cream panel. Distress the edges and glue to the front.
3.   Cut a 3.5" x 5.5" piece of Whitewash collection, with the light green core. Emboss with the folder, then use the Core'dinations Sanding buddy to sand the raised areas, exposing the green areas of the paper.  Glue to the card.
4.  Tear two sections of the same paper for center panels, and glue to the center of the card.
5.  Use the same color paper as the card base to die cut the Decorative Lace Border.  Cut into two sections.  Glue the large scallops to the card and the smaller border to the edge of the card as shown.
6.  Die cut Carnations using the Whitewash collection - this time choose a peach colored core.  Sand over the petals to create a shabby look and to expose the peach.

7.   Add a bit of Blue Lagoon ink to the centers of the flowers.  The cardstock accepts the ink like a dream.
 8.  Sprint the flowers with Gold mist, and fold each flower in half, half again, and again - and then roll each between your fingers to curve them.  Let dry.
 9.  Unfold the flowers.
 10.  Turn the flowers over and shape with a stylus tool. Assemble the flowers as shown.  Add micro beads and an adhesive gem to each of the flower centers.  Add ribbon and gem flourishes to finish the card as shown.
Supplies for Project 2
Core'dinations Whitewash Collection Cardstock
 Core'dinations Graphic 45 Signature Series Cardstock 
Zva Creative Gems: CRW-03CB-143; CRW-07CA-151 
Spellbinders - Carnation Creations Die
Heartfelt Creations- Decorative Lace Border Die 
Sizzix Embossing Folder - Damask
 May Arts Tulle 
 True Color Fusion Ink - Kiwi 
Heidi Swapp Color Shine - Gold 
Xyron - Adhesive 
Martha Stewart Micro Beads

Project 3 - Poppies Mixed Media Panel

My final  project is a mixed media wall hanging.  The panel is 12 x 12" and it's in a 16" square frame - to give you an idea of the dimensions. While this piece was very involved, there are tons of techniques that anyone could apply.  I was inspired by the gorgeous antique book - that I used as part of my focal point, and wanted to add handmade poppies to mimic the original graphics.


My background began as off white Core'dinations paper.  Small sections were embossed using Spellbinders/Gilded Life Vintage Brocade die.  The raised areas were inked, the whole piece misted, and then the raised areas were sanded.  Gold leaf was applied using a glue stick to some of the raised areas.  I also added some vintage lace and Art Anthology paints over the fabric.
 I embellished the front of the book with May Arts rhinestone chain, and used the Core Couture to die cut the Petite Monarch die.


I removed the pages of the book, and made a shadowbox to replace them.  I used the Gilded Life Vintage Damask and French Script Texture plates to emboss the Chocolate Box papers, and then I sanded the raised areas to expose the blue core. The Crowned Medallion pendant was used as the treasure in my box.  I used embossing powder over parts of it, to make it look like a time worn relic - and added a handmade poppy to the center.
From the bottom of the book, I hung a vintage mother of pearl chain with the Large Chandelier Bezel on it.  I cut the paper using the matching Chandelier die and used poppy paper from Graphic 45.  There are some tiny gold beads inside the bezel, and a vintage glass flower and rhinestone dangle were added to complete the transformation.


I used a combination of Spellbinders dies to create the poppies including the Create a Rose and the Create a Gerber Daisy, as well as leaves and centers from Heartfelt Creations/Spellbinders. I love the antique look of the sanded leaves - perfect for vintage projects.  I added a mix of black buttons and pearls to help tie in to the black matting in the frame.
  
Pearl buttons were added to the May Arts Ribbon .
 
 
(I'm also entering this canvas into the Gilded Life/Spellbinders Contest).



 Thanks for letting me share a little bit of my obsession with this paper today! I hope I've given you some ideas for you to try in your studio.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Thinking of You with Hampton Art


I really enjoy creating cards with lots of layered texture - and today's card really fits the bill.  I combined stamps and paper from the Graphic 45 Botanical Tea collection, added some embossing and chipboard and finished everything of with a handmade rose.



 The stamped butterfly really comes to life by adding some crystal flourishes.




Supplies
Hampton Art/ Graphic 45 Botanical Tea -1,2,3 ( ICO296, ICO297, ICO298)
Graphic 45 Botanical Tea Patterned Paper
Zva Creative Flourish - CRW-07CA-120
Creative Embellishments Chipboard
Spellbinders - Embossing folder and dies
WorldWin Cardstock
DCWV Burlap