It's a Creative World

Scraptastic Scraplifting!

Welcome to Friday! Leanne here, and I hope that you're all enjoying the start of your weekend, and maybe settling down to do some crafting :)

But sometimes, no matter how ready we are, and how badly we want to create, it just doesn't happen. Mojo deserts us. And for those times, there's CASEing. That's a term I've only learned since joining the SU sisterhood, but a concept that we are all familiar with: Copy And Share Everything!

That was my problem recently, I wanted to make a wedding layout with clusters of embellishments and, whilst musing on what I'd do, I bought my first magazine in over 12 months (honest, I've been so good, sticking to my free Pinterest!). I flicked through and immediately saw the perfect layout- great colours, composition, vintage but not too grungy... And I decided that I could spend hours wondering how to do my own, or I could just give myself permission to make myself one just like it. So I did, using as many scraps as I could, stamping my own paper, and drawing on my Thickers!

Here's the original, a gorgeous creation by Emilie Chamel, on page 40 of Scrap365 Aug/Sept:

And here's my effort- What do you think?!

So go ahead.

Give credit where it's due, and then shamelessly recreate somebody else's masterpiece. Why not? It's a ready thought-out project, planned, measured, and composed. You don't have to think, work out a colour scheme, or a title. Just go with what's there! And I promise it will either leave you with a finished item to be proud of, and a sated creative appetite, OR - even better - it might just kick-start your creative juices! You may end up with something nothing like the original, but that doesn't matter; Like sketches and challenges, let them inspire you into creation. And don't forget to thank your muse, and let them know how they have inspired you, because it'll mean a lot to them :)

Thank you for stopping by to see me; Do check back tomorrow and Sunday for our offerings, and link back if you CASE them so we can come heap glowing praise :)

Leanne xxx

 

www.beautifulimpressions.co.uk

www.craftaholicleanie.co.uk

 

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Messy Masked and Misted Scrapbook LO...

Hi everyone, Mandy here. 

I discovered an new scrapbook site called Skissedilla and they were hosting a Summer Sketch Challenge for July with lots of prizes (always a plus sign!)  I made this LO about when dh and I visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park last year....

A talented scrapper called Nabon designed the sketch... 

 

I was inspired to get messy!  First off I found a 12" by 12" piece of very thick chipboard (it was from some packaging) because I knew I was going to need a strong base for all the wet media I planned to use.   I painted it with white gesso and a cheap decorator's brush... 

 

I put a mask onto the (not quite dry) gesso layer and using a palette knife, I slathered some modelling paste through the mask, keeping it within the outer rim of the mask... 

Next, I repositioned the mask, overlapping the modelling paste I'd just done.  The gesso was wetter than I thought and you'll notice on the next photo the mask has lifted some of the chipboard (but it just all adds to the texture so no worries). 

 I totally love 'punchinella' or sequin waste.  It takes the modelling paste so well and is so easy...

While the modelling paste was drying, I generously sprayed the whole thing in white Glimmer Mist.  You can't really see on the photo but it was super shiny... 

I did let this layer totally dry for about three days (it doesn't really take that long!). 

Time to add colour :)   I chose two different blue mists to begin with.  The sketch had some butterflies on it so I thought I'd make some butterfly masks.  The big one is a Cuttlebug die and the small ones are made with a Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  I made the butterfly masks with sticky-back-plastic (from Wilkinsons) and stuck the butterflies down before misting over them. 

 

I added some yellow mist which promptly made a gorgeous grassy green in places...

 

When the misted background was nearly dry, I used white Glimmer Mist to make white droplets...   

I let the whole thing dry then tried out my photos on the background.  This is when I decided the misted/masked butterflies weren't showing up as well as I'd wanted (I think I got too carried away with the misting!)   

Also I decided it was a bit too green so I pumped up the blue with a darker blue mist through a different but similar mask...

 

...and sponge dabbed white paint through the punchinella.

To finish the LO I added white foam Thickers for the title and dragged the edges of the photos through some white paint to help them stand out from the background a bit better.   I made some silver butterflies with kitchen foil and the same Cuttlebug die and Martha punch.  I scrunched them up a bit and added a little dark blue mist and once dry, rubbed white paint over them into the creases.  Only the body is glued down as I wanted the wings raised...

To complete the LO I loosely stapled some white crochet thread around in a big circle.  The journaling is hidden on a tag behind the focal photo. 

I'd totally encourage anyone to make a  messy background every now and again as it was so much fun to do!

See you soon,

Mandy.

Mother's Day

Hello! It's my turn today and I thought I might share a quick, easy and effective idea for a last minute card! it's Mother's Day on Sunday in the UK (when did we stop calling it Mothering Sunday?!) and I know that as much as we like to be organised sometimes we just can't quite fit everything in! Anyway this idea is perfect for birthdays, inviations and even (whispers) Christmas cards!

I used a butterfly die cut but really most diecuts (prebought or cut yourself) would work! I cut my butterflies from Grunge Paper but I have used kraft card, heavyweight cardboard, cereal packets... it just needs to be a heavier weight than ordinary paper!

I painted my butterfly with Fresco Finish paints by PaperArtsy. When I say I painted I really used Cut and Dry foam and used a dabbing action - it creates a softer finish and there are no brush marks. I popped a little dab of Orchid paint on my craft mat and used the foam to coat the butterfly. Simple! Then I put a stencil or mask over the top and dabbed Moonlight paint over the top of that. I dried the butterfly with my heat gun and then sanded the butterfly to reveal the first paint layer in places and in others the underlying Grunge Paper. You may like to wipe the shape at this point with a dry cloth as it will be a little dusty!

I then cut out a sentiment printed from my computer on white card (you may have sentiments already printed or a stamp that you prefer to use!) I inked the edges of the butterfly and sentiment with a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Glue your sentiment in place carefully so that no glue seaps out - you don't need to be very precise here as the glue is only a temporary hold so be sparing! Using clear embossing ink, ink the whole shape, add clear embossing pwder and heat. I like to just give one layer of embossing powder because I prefer a grungy look but if you prefer a very shiny surface repeat this step two or three times. You can use UTEE here if you prefer. The simply glue the shape to the front of  a card and that's it! Once you get the hang of this you can whip up cards in less than 10 minutes!

I hope that you give this a try and I'd love to see what cards you make and how you create your own versions of this idea!

Gabrielle x

Crafting Apron

I have been told by my husband that NOTHING else is to go into our loft or the ceilings will collapse.  I really am a hoarder so have been busy going through all the "Treasure" in the loft.  I have cleared several empty card board boxes, saved incase whatever was in them broke whilst in warranty.  Some have been up there a long time.

I came across a piece of unbleached calico and as I am a very messy person decided to make myself a craft apron.

I got out some masks and my mica sprays.

 

I have ironed it to set the sprays but am not sure washable it will be.  I'm not planning to wash it as think it will be a nice record of my crafting journey.

Close up of Clock

 

Close up of cogs and gears

 
you can see where I hadn't made sure all the little bits had been removed. (Next time I will read the instructions about preparing the masks for the first use.)

I decided that blotting the masks on the apron might make a nice effect

 
To be honest it loooks a bit of a mess, but after wearing it a few times there will be more sploges on it.  I was going to stamp as well but like the effect as it is.

I did make another one for a friend, but forgot to photograph it before I posted it.  I didn't blot the masks on the apron for hers.

We will be wearing them next week as we were lucky and got tickets for one of Tim Holtz  Artsycraft classes.  It's two classes one with Tim and the other with Lin and Leandra.

I am really looking forward to it.

I hope to share what I made at the classes with you soon.

I shall keep decluttering the loft, one to make space for more stuff and two because of finding things I'd forgotten I had.

Lynne x

Butterflies all around

 

I've had this cut and emboss butterfly set from Cuttlebug now for quite some time. You get one cutting die and four embossing folders. I do love it, but have to admit to not using it as much as I should. This is primarily because I have a couple of (smaller) butterfly dies that sit on my desk, so it's just so easy to grab them and go. However, punches are just not as versatile in the kinds of material they can cut. I have a Big Shot with a multi purpose platform that I use for my cutting and embossing, and I love using the dies that can cut thicker materials and fabrics.

I challenged myself to see how many different 'looks' I could create with this die, plus some other basic materials. I stopped at sixteen, but there are way more things I could have cut (including shrink plastic, cork, vellum and so on).

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

And here's a layout I created a while ago on which I layered butterflies cut from both felt and acetate. I fixed them to the page with staples and added some stickles to the outer edge of the acetate butterflies.

 
 

I hope you're feeling inspired to have a play with your own dies and different materials. Bonus for me is that I now have a bunch of butterflies all ready to go onto projects, some are good as they are and others will be jazzed up with Stickles, beads, bling etc.

xxx's

Suzanne

 

A wooden bangle

I recently found some fabulous wooden bangle blanks ready for decorating and decided that my first one was going to be an inky one: 

 

I started by using a pale green distress ink over the outside and then a darker one:

 

I then laid Tim Holtz masks over the inked bangle and added more ink over the top. The next step was to add a darker brown ink along the edges and then tiny rhinestones in the middle of the masked flowers:

 
I think the next blank is going to be decorated with paper but I'm not sure yet LOL!

As always, thanks for visiting IACW!

Jo x

 

SIMPLE THINGS AUGUST - INSPIRATION

This month we have been looking at the wide variety of sources of inspiration. As a team we inspire each other very much, and hope that we give our readers something to think about too. If you make anything as a result of inspiration found here, all the better. Don't forget to let us know!

Hi all Michelle here with my offering for inspiration

 
As some of you may know I have a passion for Mexico, no, really? I hear some of you shout LOL! When I am out there I get very snap happy with my camera and have literally hundreds of photos and a lot of them end up being pictures of sunsets, glorious moons over the sea, jungle settings and of course the sea but I just can't stop taking them as they inspire me at that moment and I always think it's the most beautiful picture ever! So for this project I wanted to collate some of these inspirational pictures and get them off my computer!!

 
I kept thinking of those view finders we had as kids, you know the ones that you put a disc of tiny slides in and clicked round to see pretty pictures and my version of that took the form of a little box with a fold out concertina to hold all my little pictures (with room to add more :))

 
The box was one of the many little gift boxes that I cannot throw away 'just in case' and I covered the top with 3 different colours of cosmic shimmer ultra thick embossing powders. I actually covered the lid top with some glue stick, lumpy in places to get that real distressed look with my embossing and I embossed the first layer with ordinary clear embossing powder to give the ultra thick crystals something to cling onto.

 
Once I'd built up my layers I stamped into the embossing with an invoke art stamp which I had covered in black ink.

 
The wings and crown are grungeboard shapes and again I used the glue stick trick to create distressed embossing, really making it lumpy in places!

 
And I embossed them with ordinary silver embossing powder from Cosmic shimmers, look at that aged affect!

 
I added the embellishments with some silicon glue and simply cut strips of a 12 x 12 to size making them into a concertina, joining them together to get the length I wanted and then added my photos, adhering the strip to the bottom of the box inside.

I love my little box of inspiration and think it may have inspired me to emboss some more little boxes, they would make great gifts wouldn't they!! Love M x

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Hi Debbie with my take on the word inspiration.

I wanted my page to be a collage of different techniques that I could use as a reminder.

I used acrylic gel medium to transfer a vintage photo onto a piece of canvas that had already been covered with a layer of gesso and stamped on. I covered the top with a layer of pva glue and the heat gun has given the wrinkled look!

 

I embossed a piece of clear laminate and then used black stazon to highlight the text. The butterflies were stamped with versamark onto black card and then I used perfect pearls so they would show up.

This part was created using alcohol inks on the reverse and then stamping with stazon on the front.

 

I used a dark piece of acetate (previously coloured using the floor polish/caught in crystal method) and stamped on it with white acrylic paint.

 

I used a stamp that I made of my Great Grandparents wedding and then distressed the top with green acrylic paint.

The final finishing touches were a couple of old stamps and bus tickets, and some utee embellishments I have made by making my own moulds.

Would love to see your interpretation of the word inspire.

Debbie x

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Our reader Cal, at Clearing the Brambles, continues to join our Simple Things journey, working on her loo-roll book. She said "Here is my Achievement tag. It's slightly wonky on purpose as I am journaling that to me achievement is not about perfection but about loving what you are doing!"

We love what she is doing, for sure, and here is her take on the word grace:

Thanks for joining in Cal.

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Hiya Claireliz here with my take on Inspiration

 I tend to take inspiration from things all around me in my everyday life & I'm often heard wandering round the house saying "oooh there's an idea"

I wanted to be able to put some of the things that inspire me onto my pizza box page so I made a pocket to put flyers & other bits in...

The bird is cut using a Tim Holtz Alterations Die, my Sizzix & some Grungeboard, inked & stamped with tiny script writing, I have also used the dictionary definition of Inspiration.

Whilst attaching the Thickers I was using as the title I realised I had no more a's even though I'm sure I checked properly first so I quickly had to re-think, so changed the title to inspired :D

Thanks for stopping by to check out our Simple Things project & hope to see you next month

Claireliz

xx

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Dolly here with another flower page.

I was looking forward to this word as nature and flowers are something that really do inspire me to want to be creative.

I am loving using flower photos to support each word this year, but this one truly does 'fit'.

Nothing inspires me quite as much as nature. It makes me want to get out the camera, get out the paints, get out the paper and just create something.

I decided to try something different for this one and see if I could adapt a template to make the page.

The gorgeous template is by Dawn Inskip and is available at her Pickleberrypop Store HERE. It is such fun working with templates and I actually altered this one very little. Dawn's templates are very rich and lush - not like any others around actually.

The template is 12 x 12 format but it is really easy to change in a photo editing program like Adobe.

The flower with the bees was taken on a trip to Hampton Court a few years ago and I just love the photo and have been dying to use it in this album.

Once again I used a definition for the word as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eleanor here, still working on a large quilt.

I find a great deal of inspiration from books, and this latest square was no exception.

I got this book from my local library, and it has now gone onto my wanted books list, as it is one of those I simply have to own.

 

I love the background on this particular page (I love the owls too, but they are another project for another day):

 

This is my background, inspired by the owl page:

 

And here is a butterfly, chosen for the inspiration they give me, because of their fascinating metamorphosis. Mine changed from a pile of coloured organza scraps, some embroidery floss and a length of mohair:

   

into a butterfly.

Finally, this page in the book,

"Embroidered Flora and Fauna"

by Lesley Turpin-Delport and Nikki Delport-Wepener,

is another wonderful source of inspiration, and one I shall definitely be turning to in the future.

 

such wonderful little details, and so many beautiful techniques.

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Hi, this is Mandy.

Nothing gives me a bigger dose of INSPIRATION than the thought of trying new crafty techniques.  Recently I've been all inspired by the fab canvas projects I keep seeing all over the web.  So, what better than trying out new techniques on canvas for a page about 'inspiration'?  Here's my canvas page for my fabric book.  It's called 'Inspiration grows''...

I began by stamping some Paper Artsy flower stamps onto a piece of canvas, with brown STAZON ink...

Next I made a leaf-shaped mask out of white paper and stamped a text stamp through the mask to get a stamped leaf...

I cut some thin canvas stems and stamped them with a swirly stamp.

Next I coloured my leaves and stems with 3 shades of green 'Pebeo' fabric paints, blending with my finger.

I used pink, orange & bronze paint to colour the flowers and cut everything out.  I quickened up the drying process with my heat gun... 
 

I wanted the edges of the flowers and leaves to curl up off the canvas page so I only sewed the centres of the flowers and leaves, using yellow thread in my sewing machine...

here's a close-up...

Hope you're feeling inspired!

Bye,

Mandy.

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Well, I was beginning to worry that I had lost my steam for this project, seeing as in the last three months I've finished one late, started another and skipped out another altogether. However, I love my journal and I love the mix of creative styles at It's a Creative World, so I really wanted to stay involved.

 

My project is a tall skinny journal with collaged and painted pages, that I am using as an art journal for the project. I have many sorts of sketchbook/art journals at home, ranging from the brain dump books I carry around, filled with jottings and sketches and things glued in randomly; to books filled with experiments on techniques; to more planned and studied artworks contained in a book. This one falls in the middle, I'm trying to keep it very loose and spontaneous, and I've made it a rule that I add very free journalling, just stream of consciousness based on the word of the month. I used crayons this month both water soluble and non-soluble because I find crayons hugely inspiring!

Thanks for looking!

Kel x

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We hope you have been inspired by what inspires us. If you make anything as a result, please let us know, we'd love to show it next month, when our new word will be

Bird embellishments

Hello again, Mandy here.  I was at the NEC last month and bought a pack of transparent scrapbook embellishments by g.c.d.Studios.  This got me thinking about making my own.  Here's what I came up with... 

 
To begin with, I found a website called vintage printables with copyright free images.  I fiddled with & cropped loads of bird pictures in Photoshop Elements 5 to eventually end up with four sheets of A4 - large & small birds in both black & white and in colour. 

Below, you can see the colour version of large birds...

I printed the sheets of birds out onto acetate (from STAPLES) and played around with different ways to make them more 'arty' and personalised.

To make bird 1. (on the top photo)  I used silver glitter glue on the back of a large, coloured bird, just highlighting parts of the bird like it's wing & tail.  Then for bird 2. I chose another large, coloured bird & covered it's body with Glossy Accents then sprinkled on iridescent glitter.

For bird 3. I chose a large, black and white bird & used 'stonewash' blue alcohol ink on a felt applicator.  I wanted a see-through border around the bird image so to make sure I only inked the bird itself, I printed out the same sheet of birds onto scrap paper & made a mask of the bird I wanted.  I put the paper printout with the cut-out bird over the acetate bird...

After I covered the bird with blue alcohol ink I turned the bird over then stamped some text onto the non-inked side with 'teal' blue STAZON ink. 

Birds 4. and 5. were coloured birds with rub-ons applied to them.  I made another paper mask so the rub-ons would only be on the bird and not on the see-through border around the bird...

 

Finally, to make bird 6.  I used 'dusty concord' purple Distress ink, on a foam applicator, again using a mask of paper...

 
Once dry, I used the same text stamp with black STAZON ink over the top. 

One of the birds I really liked was sitting on a wire perch.  I decided not to have a see-through border on this bird & cut it out without one, but I made a paper mask to fit over the perch so the Distress ink wouldn't get on the perch...

Finally I close-cut one of the large birds and used it as a mask with some Glimmer Mist...

 

I've made a layered Photoshop document with black and white bird images, which can be used like brushes (stamps) on digital layouts.  Click to download...

Download Bird brushes black and white

Also, My blog has high-resolution pictures of the bird images (that I can't seem to post on here) so if anyone wants to print out their own set of birds to embellish and use on scrapbook layouts or cards, they can.  The images print out really well on paper too.  If you use the bird images, don't forget to let us know here at IACW and post a link of what you made so we can take a look!  Bye, for now,

Mandy.