Gypsy Fayre

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Hi Everyone,

Candice is our challenge host at Our Creative Corner this month. I love her vibrant work and she has reflected that in her theme….

Look at those colours!

Candice says

“Blessed are the gypsies. The makers of music, artists, writers, dreamers of dreams, wanderers and vagabonds, children and misfits: for they teach us to see the world through beautiful eyes

 This month’s challenge invites you to let us see your gypsy nature.

 Gypsies are wanderers, purveyors of exquisite things, mysterious things, free-spirited bohemians curating the beauty of life and sharing the wonders with you as the travel along.
 So for the challenge let your creativity run wild and free like a gypsy

I want you to create interesting items you might imagine finding at a traditional Gypsy Fayre”

You may create whatever your gypsy heart desires, but it must….

contain at least 3 colours from the featured colour palette

or 

  show us how your project is inspired by this gorgeous ode to the gypsy soul!

So craft with the soul of a gypsy and share the wonder with us.
Create little trinkets or curious items that could be found at a Gypsy Fair

I began by trying to imagine what an old fashioned gypsy might have in her caravan, I discounted making wooden pegs!! I thought she might have a collection of colourful fabrics, metal charms and useful bits and bobs.

 

I read somewhere that Romany Gypsies originated in India and travelled over Europe, so I began with a piece of sari silk. Luckily I had a piece that had some of the lovely colours in the palette.

I backed it with white felt to show the colours off and mounted it in an embroidery hoop the gypsy might have salvaged. I painted the hoop black.

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The lace and muslin were soaked in tea overnight, love that subtle colour! The charms were attached to a safety pin, they had been treated with Distress Crayon, Treasure Gold and Quin Gold paint. I added ribbon to make a wall hanging.

I hope it sells at the Gysy Fayre!

The sponsor this month is Tando Creative, and one lucky person will win a prize!

I hope you are inspired to create a trinket for our challenge,
hugs
Jan x

A Vintage Journey Doorhanger

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Welcome to my blog,

I decided to travel with A Vintage Journey on their new challenge.

I had to use grey board ( Doorhanger and perfume bottle), metal ( butterfly and charm), lilac/ purple colour and rust technique ( Distress Vintage Photo embossing Powder and Quin Gold Decoart paint).

When I read that lilac and purple were the colours to use I remembered old perfume bottles smelling of lavender belonging to my Nana, so that became my inspiration.

I really enjoyed creating the background. I started with white gesso then shades of purple paint which were then script stamped. I added White heat embossed butterflies and pearlescent texture paste through stencils. Mostly Tim products!

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The perfume bottle had a coat of gesso then purple paint. When it was dry I covered it with Decoart Crackle Glaze then Antiquing cream in white to highlight the cracks. I had some perfume bottle stamps which I heat embossed onto tracing paper and coloured with spectrum noir pens.

 

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The ribbon and flowers were dyed with DI, wilted violet and Dusty Concord. The metal butterfly and charm had treasure gold rubbed on and then pearls added.

The rust was created with Vintage Photo embossing powder heated then diluted Quin Gold dripped on top to run down. Very satisfying process!!!

hugs

Jan x

 


Going Rustic

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The return of the Challenge

We are taking a trip down memory lane at Our Creative Corner for this challenge!

I would like you to re-visit a challenge that has been featured at OCC

(Your creation has to be from one of the challenges featured here)

Please state what challenge you chose

 So click the link – reacquaint yourself with the rules of the challenge you want to do and have fun!

Our Creative Corner

I had this lovely photo taken last year of the four generations of females in our family and wanted a lovely frame to suit the background of the picture.

 So I chose Rustic from Oct 14! I used a £1 cardboard frame which I painted with Decoart products.

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I put blobs of paint at the top of the frame and scraped them down using an old credit card. I used TH script stamp and a splatter stamp with translucent ink over the top.

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To create the rusted wrought iron gate effect I mixed Paynes Grey with sand texture paste and scraped it through a flourish stencil. when it dried I dabbed Qincorine Gold on top. Gorgeous!

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I hope you are inspired to join our challenge, great choice, check out our lovely DT projects.

Our sponsor for this month is

Artistic Outpost will be donating a $15.00 gift certificate to their online sister-store Our Daily Bread Designs, where Artistic Outpost resides, to our randomly drawn participant. 

Good Luck everyone, I look forward to seeing your projects.

Hugs

Jan x


Darkroom Door Sponsor Spotlight

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I am so excited to share my Sponsor Spotlight with you!

I made a cushion using the amazing Darkroom Door stamps. It started out by stamping onto strips of fabric and ended up as a cushion!

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The stamps are so detailed and printed beautifully onto calico.

I used the Seaside collection.

Check out how I created the cushion at Our Creative Corner.

There is still time to enter my challenge, Sew and Sew, over on the blog, you could win some of these great stamps.

Hugs

Jan x

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Sew and Sew

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This month at Our Creative Corner it is my challenge for you!
I have really enjoyed being part of the DT and the exciting bit of choosing a theme for February –
Sew and Sew

Fabrics, wool, threads, lace – this months challenge is all about texture, layers and loveliness!
What scraps have you got hidden away? Any snippets of favourite clothes you can’t bare to part with?  Anything sewing related can be used in your piece. You could use stitches or sewing machines or fake stitches, it’s your decision. Don’t forget to get out your sewing themed stamps and dies.

Have fun and create something!

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I created a page for my neglected Folio about our travels in America. We visited Palm Springs in California and went up the Arial Tramway from the dessert into a blizzard! We were dressed for the heat and blue skies not for cold and snow, we laughed so much, it was a memorable day. I enjoyed using my sewing stash and scrapbook embellishments with my sewing machine to make a snowy page.

This is what I did…..

I used watercolour paper to blend blue Distress Inks and then splattered water cover to make a mottled effect.

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I used a Layering Stencil with Pearlescent Texture Paste to add snowflakes.

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I smudged embossing ink onto opposite corners and added thick powder and heat embossed to create a layer of “snow”.

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I stamped snowflakes and USA from Tim Holtz Blueprint collection using Hickory Smoke DI.

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My favourite die cut and texture folder came out to make vellum snowflakes to layer on top.

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Out came the sewing stash including ribbons and lace.

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I used Kraft card as the page for my Folio. TH tissue paper then layers of ribbon and frayed muslin were sewn on using a sewing machine. I used straight stitch and zig zag for variety.

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I painted a square with water onto the watercolour paper and carefully tore a frame out for my photo. I scratched the photo to add to the snowy effect. The lace and roses I had chosen were stitched around the frame and plastic Paperchase snowflakes added to the die cuts.

 

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Finally the title was glued on to finish. I used Alphanumerical thinlet die with TH metallic coordinations paper and kraft card for the moments sentiment on the side.

I really enjoyed using the lace and fabric to create so many layers of texture, I hope you are inspired to join in the challenge. There are great prizes to be won from our fabulous sponsor…

Darkroom Door is sponsoring one Rubber Stamp Set, valued at $31.95 AUD, to our randomly drawn winner.
 Hugs

Jan x


Graphic 45 Communique

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I made some cards and a tag for Jones to use as samples at the trade show. All the projects used Communique papers.

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I enjoyed creating a mini album/ address book from one sheet of 12×12 paper and then filling the pages with hidden pockets and tags.

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I hope you like them, please leave me a message, I do appreciate your thoughts
X


Communique Mirror for Jones

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I was really excited to receive the new Graphic 45 Communique papers and wanted to make something special with them. I covered a cheap IKEA mirror, £1.50 when I bought it!
I covered the wood in paper and made a frame from strips for the mirror. Then the fun began, making a collage of camera and photo related images.
I finished off with some of Tims Found Relatives and added fragments. I used a fragment as a lens for the larger image.
Hope you enjoy looking, here are close ups of the corners.

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Hugs
Jan x


Vintage Traveller

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I spent a lovely time up in the attic today playing in my journal. I created a page using blended Distress Ink,( Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo)spritzed water. I stamped with the same inks using Tim’s anonymous set .
Layering stencil added another interesting element using Ground Expresso, with remnant rubs continuing the travel theme.
The gentleman I like to think was a self made man who dreams of travelling,he is waiting for his luggage to arrive. I created some layers with Tims pocket pages, stickers, die cut rusted cogs. I die cut the frame from Tim’s metallic paper, used a travel texture fade and gave it the industrial treatment. A few Chit chat stickers made the title.

I decided to enter the fun challenge at A Vintage Journey, check out their DT work, its amazing!

Hugs

Jan x


January Challenge

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Welcome to the January Challenge at Our Creative Corner.

The theme was chosen by Claudia, our talented Resident Designer.

This is what she said ……

Make time

Why not promise something good to yourself for the new year’s start?

To make more quality time for yourself for example and spend it doing what you love? Creative time is quality time if you listen to your inner voice and follow your own speed instead of listening to the clock ticking and reminding you of deadlines or other duties. Other work will be done so much easier (and faster) after some recreational me-time as it will have fueled up your energy!

So escape the endless circling and rushing and get yourself in the right mood for some me-time…The mood board we have in store for you could be a good start.

I challenge you to calm down, enjoy what you see and let yourself be inspired by it. No precise theme to narrow your creativity down – just the colours, shapes, directions, textures and hints of possible themes.

Soooooo,  I began by creating a Masterboard. I used the colours from my stash of opaque acrylic paints which matched Claudia’s Moodboard. I used a brayer to lay down a basecoat then added translucent shade of blue to make layers and depth.

This is the base layer.

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Unfortunately I got carried away and had a great time, stamping and heat embossing and forgot to take photos!!!!

I used a Tim Holtz stamp with Hickory Smoke to stamp and smudge stamp then Black Archival with clear embossing powder to give shine and layer.

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I cut two tags and chose my favourite. I cut out the numbers 2016 using TH Alphanumericals thinlet die and adhered cork behind to create an under layer. I took inspiration from the circles in the Moodboard to die cut cork picture wheel and used some DecoArt rusted cogs and weathered clock from my bits box alongside the butterfly. I chose the butterfly for new life and because its pretty!

(The copper foil and ribbon were recycled from Christmas present wrappings.)

This is what I ended up with.

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I look forward to seeing where the Moodboard takes your creativity.

Our sponsors this month are Creative Embellishments

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Creative Embellishments will be providing a voucher to spend at their store.

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I wish everyone a bright and shiny New Year!

Enjoy creating,

Hugs

Jan x


Wish Upon a Star

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Over at Our Creative Corner we have a new challenge for December.

Trish has set the theme:

“My challenge to you all this month is a very simple one… Stars!
I have a passion for stars, stars are incorporated into my email addresses, internet log ins, business name and even my tattoos 🙂
I would love for you all to share your creations, full of stars! Star stamps, star die cuts, star embellishments, star shaped backgrounds, it’s up to you! Use lots, or just the one, as long as there is a star somewhere, you’re good to go!
I can’t wait to see all your wonderful creations!”

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This year I decided to create hanging decorations rather than cards and put them in fancy envelopes.

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The card is 4″ square with rounded corners. I used a Tim Holtz layering stencil to heat emboss stars using Tarnished Silver powder.

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The sky was DI in shades of blue with a spritz of Picket Fence for snow.

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I die cut a TH Prancing Stag from Kraft card and inked him with Expresso. The edges of the card were glued and then dipped in glitter for a snowy sparkle. I put extra white glitter so he looks as if he is bounding through snow drifts.  He has a tinsel wreath round his neck, I cut a tiny tag and wrote Merry Xmas with a holly leaf and berries. He has a black pearl eye.

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The stars are from a grab bag made by Tando Creative, later cut thick card. I heat embossed two with gold. One was wired to the stags antler with red fine beading wire. The other star is for the envelope.

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I cut a Kraft card square 7 3/4″, then scored a 4″ square in the middle. I used a cup as a template to round the sides. These fold on top of each other and the fourth side tucks in.

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I inked the star layering stencil on top using Expresso then clear heat embossed to give a lovely shine.

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I finished the decoration with some red ribbon to hang, put it inside the envelope, tied it with string and the star.

I hope you join in our challenge and are inspired by the Design Teams take on stars. I am looking forward to seeing what you create.

There is a lovely prize from Tando to be won!

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Tando provide a surprise parcel of goodies for the prize winner.

Hugs
Jan x