Sunday 30 November 2014

Thursday’s Workshop


We all met at Flitwick Village Hall for a fun day of crafting and project making but unfortunately four couldn’t be with us. That didn’t stop the others from getting their hands inky and their tables messy with all the elements and techniques we covered to get our shadow boxes finished.
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It was lovely to welcome Lesley and Valerie to the fold as new people to attend our workshops ….
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.. and Jackie too.
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Here’s Sue totally involved in getting the elements made for her background.
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As you can see there is lots of space and light at this venue and plenty of room to spread out.
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Everyone is able to talk to each other, but often people get so involved in what they are doing silence will prevail.
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All the materials, tools and products for the class are available to everyone …..
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.. and tables are covered in elements in the making.
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Here is the inner frame of the shadow box with the carollers, trees and snow covering the ground. We left this to dry whilst making the outer frame and background.
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Lots of sanding first of all …
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,,, painting, glittering, stamping and glueing ….
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…. concentration (from Lyn and Sue) …..
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… interspersed with refreshments and a bit of Christmas cheer on this occasion.
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Here you can see tissue wrap being torn ready to alter the outer frame.
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And by the end of the day everyone had their beautiful Winter Wonderland shadow box ready to be taken home.
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My thanks to Lyn, Sue, Jackie, Lesley and Valerie for a great day and so sorry that Jacqui, Steve, Nikki and Alex couldn’t make it – next time hopefully.

Our next get-together is the 31st January 2015. We’ll be starting off the New Year with a big bang with this workshop. Vintage in style, I have designed and altered a Tim Holtz Folio using lots of ‘Tim’ papers and Idea-ology. Intended as a photo’ album or holder for your assorted memorabilia, you can make it what you’d like it to be. Whilst following my processes you’ll have an element of freedom in tweaking the design to suit your own tastes. Keep it or gift it, whichever you decide, I am sure you’ll love making this project.
Designed for crafters at all levels of experience and whether you’re into ‘vintage’ or a fan of Tim Holtz or not, I really believe you’ll love this!
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All the details are available on the Country View Crafts shop website which is where you can book your space.

Thanks for joining me today, have a happy Sunday and enjoy whatever you have planned for the day.

hugs Brenda xxx

Friday 28 November 2014

Snowflakes and Stencils


A Christmas card today made with the Tim Holtz stars layering stencil and the Stacked snowflake Bigz  die. 

I started by inking my stencil with peeled paint distress ink and then lightly spritzing with water and placing on my card background. I love the random watercolour effect this produces.


As you can see, I originally planned to use 2 different backgrounds but changed my mind. I distressed the edges of my card and lightly added some stormy sky distress ink.

Next for my snowflakes. I decided to use foil sheets, although in hindsight I am not sure this was necessary!


I added and dried various colours of distress paint; forest moss, salty ocean and brushed pewter. Before the last layer was dry I added some embossing powder and heated.


Once they had cooled I added some faded jeans distress ink.
 I stamped and die cut my sentiment from the Retro Christmas stamps and framelits set.


I then assembled my card!




Thanks for your visit today.
Nikki

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Love Christmas

Hi everyone, it’s Brenda again with another Christmas card for you.
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This colour combination has really captured me this year and I have made several cards in this palette.
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The fabulous occasions found relatives pack by Tim Holtz has these gorgeous vintage photos and I have combined this one with the pediments die and the festive berries distress glitter. The clear domes are from my own supplies and have pieces of the merriment papers glued underneath.
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The love banner was made using a stamp and die from the framed silhouettes Framelits set and I stamped the word using my own small stick letter stamps. Christmas comes from the holiday words script thinlits dies using the stick it paper to adhere it to the card.
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The lamp post was cut last year and not used and the leaves are from the festive greenery strip die. The trellis framework die-cut creates some interest and texture in the background.
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How are you doing with your Christmas cards? I still have quite a few to make so I am sure you will be seeing more of them from me before the big day.

Thanks for looking.

hugs Brenda xxx