Mantle Clock Tutorial

I made this mantle clock is made entirely from scratch using chipboard and a clock kit.

 

All flowers were white paper flowers that I dyed with Antique Linen Distress Reinker & Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls (see flower dying tutorial here)

You will need:

• Clock Kit with 5.5cm hands
• Medium weight chipboard (approx 4 sheets)
• Light weight chipboard
• Tools - Craft Knife, Ruler, Scor-tape, liquid glue (Mod Podge)
• Distress Ink (Vintage Photo) & Ink Blending Tool
• Optional embellishments - Long Fasteners (brads), Flowers, Vine, Tim Holtz Ideaology etc

Download the mantle clock template

 

  Measurements:

• Clock face circle: approx 3 3/4" (90mm)
• Lightweight chipboard side strips x2: 2 1/8" (55mm) x as long as possible
• Lightweight chipboard clock face strip: 1" (25mm) x as long as possible

Base Box

• Front & Back: 1 7/8" x 6" (50mm x 150mm)
• Sides: 1 7/8" x 3" (50mm x 75mm)
• Top: 6" x 3" (75mm x 150mm)
• Front Trim x1: 1 1/2" x 5 3/4 (40mm x 150mm)
• Side Trim x2: 1 1/2" x 2 3/4" (40mm x 70mm)

Supplies used in shabby version:

• Pattern paper
• White paper flowers dyed with Antique Linen Distress Reinker & Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls (see flower dying tutorial here)
• Artificial Vine
• Long Fasteners
• Adage Ticket
• Vintage Photo Distress Ink

Supplies used in masculine version:

• Kaisercraft Pattern Paper
• Long Fasteners
• Vintage Photo Distress Ink
• Tim Holtz Sprocket Gears & Mini Sprocket Gears
• Tim Holtz Mini Numerals
• Tim Holtz Stamp from Stuff To Say set

  
Watch Part 1 on you-tube - http://youtu.be/zlG4yHp924c

Watch Part 2 on you-tube - http://youtu.be/h5TeAOSIBCM

Watch Part 3 on you-tube - http://youtu.be/-toORuyySkw 

Shabby Chic Technique Tutorial

 
I have been shabby chic painting so much lately. It all started when I was making decorations for my wedding. I made some crates, some really large wooden letters and an easel for our guest book. I'm still not over it so I have painted about 15 picture frames with the same technique to make them match.

 Here is how I do it:

 

Watercolouring Tutorial

 Watch this video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/zLIuZ0rne70 

 Supplies:
* Blender Pen (such as Tombow or Dove)
* Tim Holtz Distress Markers or Distress Ink Pads
* Watercolour Paper
* Jet Black Stazon Ink 
  * Twinkling H2O's
* Fine Water Brush
* Line Art Rubber Stamp (High Hopes - Handy Dragon)

See the text version of this tutorial here

How to stamp a clean and clear image

Check out this video for a few tips on how I stamp to get a clean and clear image.

Watch this video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/eOTPzQxTweg

Supplies:

Staz-on Ink
Watercolour paper
Waterbased Stamp Cleaner or solution
Stamp Cleaning Pad or Rub 'n' Scrub
Tack 'n' Peel
Acrylic Block

Steampunk Debutant Print Tray

 

This is a Tim Holtz Print Tray that I made using Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutant paper. It turned out so grungy and just how I wanted it. I have considered whipping up another one but using a smaller configuration.

The inspiration for this came heavily from the Graphic 45 Blog. I had been holding on to this paper stack and print tray for the better part of years waiting for the right idea.

The last couple pictures below explain how I did the grungy black and green edges on the print tray before I started decorating it.

I filled each compartment with all manner of stuff. I used quite a few Vintage Findings like the wing key on the right, vials and oval frame in the center. I also used Tim Holtz Numerals, Game Pieces, Keyholes, Word Sticks, Sprocket Gears, Plaquettes (coloured with Alcohol Ink), Time Pieces, Game Spinners, Memo Pins, Foliage and made a few ribbon spools from left over chipboard. The chipboard gears are from Make It Crafty.

Don't count anything out when you are putting together a project of junk. With a bit of paint you can colour it to match your project and having odd things in it just makes it more interesting. I used a spring that my friend found on the ground, a large key I found in the homewares section of Overflow, a blown light bulb from my friends Hilux and a 1918 penny that my dad gave me. I gave it the patina look by rubbing a bit of the same green paint on it then wiped it off. The high heel in the bottom center was a keyring from the Post Office that I painted black and then rubbed green paint over the lace pattern.

Where I have used tags and elements cut from the paper stack, I have glued it to thick chipboard and mounted it on foam tape so they sit up inside the compartment rather than to the back wall.

Some of the compartments have been turned around so they are no longer holes which I thought was an excellent idea from the G45 blog. I covered the edges of all boxes with a layer of Tissue Tape so that the gaps were hidden then covered the whole thing with a lot of molding paste with my fingers to create texture.

I then painted it with black and green/teal paint and sanded it back roughly to expose some of the paste. Then I sponged on some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to colour the exposed bits brown.

How to Re-cover Books

This is a great way to update some old books that you no longer want to read or even just for a bit of home decor around the house. Stacking books is really popular right now so why not have them look pretty too. 

I covered my books using calico and wallpaper samples that I got from Masters Australia (a hardware shop) but you can use any sort of paper or fabric. Why not try scrapbooking paper, decoupage paper, a nice wrapping paper (how cool would a stack of Christmas books look!) or even your own or child's artwork that they painted themselves. 

 

Watch this video on you-tube: http://youtu.be/AeHzOGHHq18 

Supplies:
Old Hardcover Books Fabric (such as calico)
Wallpaper, scrapbooking paper or artwork etc.
Ribbon to cover the join between paper and fabric
Fabric Glue
Mod Podge Matte
Craft Knife

Canvas Wall Art Tutorial

Here is a tutorial on how I made my flower wall art.

 

Watch the video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/HpMld1pCoto

   

You can download my flower template here but please be aware that it is for personal use only and cannot be used if you are selling the finished artwork.

If you use this file and share your project, please post a link to this video or blog and I will be very thankful.

 Download the .psd files - Side Canvas and Middle Canvas Download the .jpg files - Side Canvas and Middle Canvas 

Instructions for Photoshop (.psd)
~ Open the .psd file in photoshop
~ In the menu go to Image > Image Size
~ Under Document Size, type in the size of your canvas then click OK
~ Use the crop tool to crop sections the size of your paper. Print each section then undo the crop and crop the next piece.
~ Use sticky tape to match up the printed sections (cut off any excess paper up to the joins though or you will be trying to cut flowers through canvas and two layers of paper instead of one)

Instructions for .jpg
~ Open the .jpg in picture viewing software (I use Microsoft Picture Viewer or Picasa which is free from google)
~ Click Print and print the full design on a single sheet of paper
~ Use a photocopier or the copy function on a scanner to enlarge the design to fit your canvas. Simply fold the single sheet of paper in to smaller sections and enlarge that section
~ Repeat re-sizing sections until the whole design is larger
~ Use sticky tape to match up the printed sections (cut off any excess paper up to the joins though or you will be trying to cut flowers through canvas and two layers of paper instead of one)

 If the whole design does not fit on one page
~ In Microsoft Picture Viewer tick or un-tick 'Fit Picture to Frame' (I have to un-tick it)
~ In Picasa click the button that says 'Shrink to Fit'

 

Supplies:
One 12" x 24" Canvas
Two 10" x 20" Canvas'
Craft Knife
RGB LED lights or Christmas Lights
Hot Glue for gluing on lights

Scrunched Flower Tutorial

Here is a quick video showing how to make Donna Salazar's scrunched and puffy flowers. They look fantastic on 3D projects that can allow for quite a lot of dimension.

 

Watch this video on You-tube - http://youtu.be/bVmWvyDQ13Q

Supplies:
Spellbinders Cutting Die - Scalloped Circle
Text paper
Tissue Paper
Liquid Mist (Perfect Pearl Mist or Glimmer Mist)
Mix your own liquid mist (Mini Mister, Distress Reinker & Perfect Pearl Powders)
Liquid Glue (such as Mod Podge)

Background Stamps with Chalk and Perfect Pearls

Here is a quick tutorial on how to use background stamps with VersaMark ink, chalks and Perfect Pearls to create cute backgrounds for your cards.  

Watch this video on You-tube - http://youtu.be/W_iieq_Mmd8



Supplies:
Background Stamp (Darkroom Door stamps used in video)
VersaMark Clear Watermark Ink Pad
Pebbles Inc, Chalk
Extra Pom Poms
Tim Holtz Perfect Pearl Powders

Paper Model Yoshi

Wow was this a monumental project! Yoshi is a paper model and before I had a google to find something new to do, I had no idea that there was such thing as a paper model hobby.

Model making is actually really quite fun and because it is made from paper, you just download the pieces and print them at home so you don't have to wait for postage. I found this model of Yoshi then spent the next two full weeks putting him together. You just print the pieces, cut them out with a craft knife, score them so they bend where you need them to then piece him together like a great big jigsaw puzzle.

 

 

 

Supplies:
Yoshi Model
Craft Knife
Very Fine Tip Stylus or Scoring Tool
Liquid Glue such as Mod Podge Matte (Matte glue is best in case it oozes out. Matte glue will not stay shiny)
Precision Tip Bottle (so you can squeeze out liquid glue in small areas)

How to make custom colour Metallic Distress Crackle

Here is a quick video on how you can make any colour metallic Distress Crackle Paint you like. All you need is Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in Brushed Pewter, your choice of Alcohol Inks and an Alcohol Ink Applicator. It will be great for ornaments and Christmas decorations for one.

Watch the video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/JpNqzEHM15M

Supplies:
Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint - Brushed Pewter
Adirondack Alcohol Ink
Alcohol Ink Applicator
Chipboard Shape,
Cardstock or Tag
Non-Stick Craft Sheet (optional)

Watercolouring: 3 hours in 3 minutes

This is just a fun video I made because I was curious to see what my watercolouring process looks like in high speed.

Click here to see my Watercolouring Tutorial.

Supplies:
Tim Holtz Distress Markers or Distress Ink Pads
Tombow Blender Pen
Watercolouring Paper
Make It Crafty Stamp - Fairy Tree House

Rolled Roses/ Spiral Blossom Tutorial

When I first saw a spiral blossom cutting die I was a little bit confused as to how to construct the cutout. This video should clear it up for you.

Watch this video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/5Erv1PPpAho

Supplies: 
Spellbinders Spiral Blossom or Bitty Blossoms die
Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Ink Blending Tool
Mod Podge glue

Christmas cards

Here are my 15 Christmas cards I made this year and they were so quick and easy I was pretty please to knock them over in a few hours.

 I used half of an A4 piece of Tim Holtz Core'dinations Kraft Core paper for each card base and embossed the front using Tim Holtz Texture Fades (Fancy Floral Frames). I then sanded the raised parts of the embossing to reveal the kraft cardstock underneath.

To make the tree I cut a triangle shape from scraps of chipboard sheet and also a base for the tree and covered them in pattern paper. I then inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, glued some ribbon on the bottom with Mod Podge and adhered it to the front of the card base with some raised foam tape for dimension. There are also a few buttons put on with my hot glue gun.

 I haven't made Christmas cards for everyone in years because I usually have trouble making them simple enough to make them in bulk. I might have to try another version of this again next year!




Supplies:
Tim Holtz Kraft Core cardstock
Tim Holtz Sanding Grip
Tim Holtz Fancy Frames
Chipboard sheets
Mod Podge
Ink Blending Tool
Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Hot Glue Gun

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more

 

I love How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version of the movie) and watch it every year. This year I took some inspiration from some Christmas signs I saw on Pinterest and made a sign to hang on the wall.

I used photoshop to create the text for my sign which is 90cm high and about 40cm wide. Then cut a stencil of the text using my Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot 2 from Cricut Decor Vinyl. It probably won't hurt to do a video one day so I will remember that but next I took my sign (that I had already painted the white base coat on, removed the letters themselves from the stencil and discarded them and then stuck down the negative space around the letters on the sign. I then painted in each individual letter instead of sticking the vinyl letters on the sign and painting the back around it. Painting the letters takes longer but gives a much cleaner result as you don't get a heap of paint build up around the outside of the letters.

Now, this all sounds easy enough but I did this all three times before I was happy with the end result. My font was the issue the first time and I decided I wasn't a fan. I can't remember my issues the second time. Oh, that's right. I decided I wanted to colour and change the font of some words but by then I had decided I was sick of sanding the white paint back and repainting it so I just sanded the green words I had painted and left it aged and a sanded mess. Turns out it made it look a lot better that way anyway.

Supplies:

Cricut Decor Vinyl
Claudine Hellmuth Brushes Artist Quality
Acrylic Paint

Christmas Stockings

My mum is a fantastic seamstress and she had her own costume shop when I was a kid and made hundreds and hundreds of amazing costumes from basic to elaborate Renaissance dresses that were just stunning. Dress up parties as a kid were never an issue in our house.

With such amazing talent from my mum, nanna, sister and aunties on both sides, you'd think I would be able to sew. Nope! This year I decided to stick with it and hope my skills improve and what do you know! They have! But only slightly.

I made our own Christmas stockings this year and they turned out so well I am really impressed. I liked them so much that I made another six curly toe stockings for gifts for friends. You can find the free pattern here I used here with a handy video too.

Rolled Rose Christmas Tree

 

This year I decided to embark on an epic project of a tree decorated entirely in rolled roses. I got the idea from the Teresa Collins blog but ended up making the tree bigger and ultimately ended up needing a lot more rolled roses. I think I spent about 20 hours inking, scrunching and rolling roses from double sided Kaisercraft Twig & Berries paper, then glued them on a cone made from poster board and finally glued on a candle holder as the base. It was worth making all of the rolled roses. I have no idea why but I have even started working on another project with heaps of rolled roses so fingers crossed I don't lose my mind before Christmas even gets here!

Supplies:

Ink Blending Tool
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Distress Ink Pads
Spellbinders Sprial Blossom Die
Spellbinders Bitty Blossom Die
Mod Podge Matte Glue

How to cover wood or chipboard with paper

I often get asked how to cover chipboard with pattern paper and here is how I do it.  

Watch this video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/U54q0L9gUtE

 

I made this JOY project using some MDF letters that I cut with the jigsaw and a giant bauble decoration. I covered the bauble with rolled roses made from Kaisercraft Twigs & Berries paper. I lost count of how long it took to ink, scrunch and roll the roses at the 25 hour mark! I also made a bigger bauble top with a loop of copper wire and covered the letters in pattern paper. 

 

Supplies:

Ink Blending Tool
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Retractable Craft Knife
Making Memories Craft Knife Blades

Cane-deer Tutorial

 

I love making my little Cane-deer every Christmas and this year decided to make a video on how they come to life. They are so simple you can make an entire herd!

Watch this video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/8mn5VaDAAPQ

Supplies:
Candy Canes
Googly Eyes
Pom Poms
Pipe Cleaners
Glossy Accents
Artistic Wire
Silver Bell Pliers

Perfect Christmas Bow Tutorial

Here is a quick video on how a bow challenged person like me, can fake it for a perfect bow for a present or Christmas tree.  

Watch the video on you-tube - http://youtu.be/VHcpd3Atu1Q

Supplies:

Wired Ribbon
Fabric Glue
Mini Clamps