Prick 'n stitch

There are an abundance of patterns, often free in magazines, but you could also make your own quite easily.  Basic shapes can easily be transformed with some creative stitching.  Now I aren't very good with a needle and thread, and I was actually banned from needlework at school, well using the machines at least !!

When you've chosen your design, you will need a pricking/piercing tool and a felt/foam mat.  Carefully attach your pattern to some card with some low tack tape, then prick out, using the mat underneath as a buffer.  If you look at the basic stitches in the pictures to the right, you will see the petals have one hole at the bottom, and pierced around each scallop from about half way up.  The stitches are worked in a fan, with each stitch always being worked through the hole at the bottom of the petal.  The centres are stars.  Again working each stitch into the centre hole, and into each hole around the circle.  The leaves and stem was a basic back stitch.

These are just a few basic stitches, but there is nothing to stop you being more creative and producing other patterns.  Have fun experimenting.  Whilst I consider myself to be abysmal at sewing, I did find this very therapeutic and was quite chuffed with the outcome.
Christine

Art, Love, Beauty - using alcohol inks

 

This week I thought I would play with some alcohol inks...and I'm sure I will at some point in the future, share more.  I've purely called this blog Art, Love, Beauty because of the Cherrypie Art stamp I used to create it. 

For this technique you will need:

Glossy photo card

A busy stamp (florals would work well if you don't have an arty style stamp)

A selection of complimentary alcohol inks/Distress inks (refiller bottles)

Blending solution

An applicator (with a handle to allow control) with a lint pad attached to the velcro end

Archival ink - black

Heat tool

Dot small amounts of the inks and the blending solution, randomly onto the lint pad.  The Distress ink refillers aren't as strong as the ones sold as pure alcohol inks, so you will achieve differing depths of opacity, and the blending solution does what it says on the label - blends. Then using a tapping motion, stamp the lint surface onto the glossy photo card until you are pleased with the mix.  It's quite forgiving and you can over stamp a section if you aren't happy. You will then need to heat set the inks.  I stamped 3 pieces of photo card as I intended decoupaging layers.

Then using the black archival ink, carefully stamp the chosen design onto each of the pieces of glossy card. Whilst you want a good impression, be careful not to apply too much pressure or the ink will skid on the glossy surface.  These must be left to dry thoroughly, generally this will take several days.

Then it's just a case of cutting out and layering what you wish to be prominent pieces.  If you are using a floral stamp, look at which petal or flower is the most prominent, and give it pride of place with extra layers.  You don't have to be limited to three layers either....whatever you think.

Get playing !!

Christine

Gate Fold Card

Another simple card this week with Father's Day looming and little time to really play :(

As with last week, it's just a case of dividing your card up.  This time you are scoring at 1/4 and 3/4 along the length.  So a 6" square finished card would be scored at 3" and 9"  I have done an A5 finished card, so started with an A4 piece of card.  Now I have a M&F score board which has the score lines marked.  However, don't be deterred if you don't have one.  Just trim the length of your card into something that is divisible by 4.  So in this case, 28cms.  You would then score at 7cms and 21 cms.  As you are only trimming a small amount off, it won't be noticeably smaller than the A5.

 

Any mats are only attached by one half of their reverse, to allow the card to open.  It doesn't really matter which side, or if you have multiples, you could have them attached to different sides.  I have attached both my greeting and picture to the left front face, but I could have for example, attached the greeting to the right face. The additional circular sentiment is only attached to the picture mat.



Again, follow the basic principles for dividing your card, and you will find endless possibilities. A longer narrower piece to begin with, could produce a landscape card.  Whereas a square piece will create a taller, slimmer card.

Christine

Easel Card

As Father's Day is almost here, I thought I best get cracking with some cards.  So this week is a simple easel style card.  If you've never made an easel card, it is really quite easy.  The basic principle is to score you card in half, then on the front half, score again in half....so your score lines fall at 1/4 and 1/2 of the card length.  Now this can be achieved in a variety of dimensions.  It may be easier to begin with your finished card face size (what envelope size it will fit into when flat). 

 
The front face requires a focal mat.  It does not have to be the same size as the finished card, but it cannot be any larger.

The front part is folded 'tent' style and is anchored behind something that is raised.  In this example I have mounted a greeting and attached with foam pads.  Depending upon how upright you wish your focal mat to sit, will be determined by the depth of the anchor and where you place it in relation to the front edge.

 
The example I have done began with a 12" x 6" piece of card, scored at 3" and 6" along the 12" length.  The front focal mat is a 6" square.  But don't be limited to this size.....and......what about experimenting with double (or more) easels on the same card, perhaps resting at different angles and heights.

Have fun !!!
Christine