Japanese-style Wood & Vellum Lantern...

Hello again!! :)

How are you all? I hope you had lovely weekends doing something fun... like crafting!! :D Well, I’m back again and so soon, too... but there is a very good reason!! :)

A few weeks ago my lovely friend, Elaine, asked me if I would like to be a guest designer for her fabulous All Crafts Challenge, which she hosts on her blog Craft My Life to give all of us who enjoy making things other than cards a place to share our projects and find inspiration... well, of course, loving my different crafts as I do, I said yes and so here I am today with something very different to share...

This is the ‘proper’ gift I made for my sister’s 18^th birthday and is a Japanese-style lantern using co-ordinating Lili of the Valley Geisha Girls stamps (as I used for her card in my last post)...

It began life as a kit- which I very happily discovered forgotten on my crafty bookcase after much head-scratching and scouring of t’internet for ideas for something extra special and just a bit different that I could make for her!! :) – with six bare-wood pieces (four legs/sides, two square pieces for top and bottom and a plywood base), which I covered in Tim Holtz Distress Stains in Black Soot, for a traditional Japanese black wood look, and Walnut Stain for a bit of warmth. I have to say that I lost count of how many coats I had to give the pieces to get an evenness of colour I was remotely happy with... suffice to say it was an awful lot and the pieces took up residence on my desk for a loooong time as I was doing it!! Then I added a couple of coats of Mod Podge but that still seemed a bit sticky and like the stain might leave marks so I added a coat of Artiste Acrylic Matte Varnish. I honestly thought I had ruined the whole thing several times during this but got away with it in the end... phew!!lol

Then it was on to making the decorative panels. I used some lovely white marble vellum I have had for years to do this and stamped and heat embossed images from the LOTV Japanese Companion stamp sheet for all four sides and then coloured the images on the reverse with Prismacolor pencils and OMS. I took some pics of the colouring just to show how much brighter and stronger the colour looks than on the outside :)

I used a fine detail gold embossing powder with some added gold glitter, masking the house, bridge and tree stamps on the second panel and stamping and embossing in three stages to get a full scene :)

Then it was time to assemble it all... and boy, was that fun... or not!!lol It was actually extremely tricky and even with another pair of hands (thanks, Mum!!) on hand to help, I was not at all convinced I’d manage it for a while... but we got there in the end and this is how it turned out...

I used super-sticky tape to attach the panels (tried the first one with silicone and nearly made an unsalvageable mess!! :S) and silicone to attach all the wood pieces together... to be honest, I can’t even remember now what order things went together in but since it was so much hard work that I doubt I will ever do it again, I can live with that!!lol

This pic gives an idea of the construction with four L-shaped legs and top and bottom which fitted between them, if that makes any sense.

Then all that was left was to add battery-powered LED candle inside... and spend ages taking pics from all the different angles!!lol

A couple of shots with the lights dimmed and the candle ‘lit’... you can’t really get a sense of the light coming through the coloured vellum here but it was quite pretty in real life, especially witht he marble effect on the vellum!! :)

This was a long and rather stressful project, which I suspect I will not try again for a long time to come but I am very happy to say that my sis’ really loved it and I was so happy to have been able to make something so very personal to her passions- the more usual purely selfish enjoyment of the process aside, aren’t those moments of making people feel happy and special what we do all this crafty stuff for?!! Lovely feeling :) 

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges: Inspire Me Fridays - #95 :) : Happy Hour Fridays - 02.08 :)

Okay, so if you have made it to the end of this post- and especially if you actually took the time to read all the way through!!lol- then thank you and well done!! ;D Please do pop over to Elaine’s blog and check out her fabulous All Crafts Challenge for some wonderful inspiration... and if you make anything other than cards- altered or upcycled items, jewellery, fabric or yarn crafts or anything else- then do stop by over there and share it with her and the rest of us!! :) Have a lovely week folks!! :)

LOTV Japanese Birthday for my sis’ 18th... :)

Hello everyone!! :)

My ‘baby’ sister turned 18 in November (where the time went I do not know!!lol) and today I am going to show you the card I made for her...

As some of you who have been following my blog a while may remember from last year’s card, my sis has a fascination with all things Japanese and when I was wracking my lil’ old brain to think up a card that would be truly special for her, I remembered the fab Geisha Girls stamps Lili of the Valley had released a few months previously... and so off I popped for a wee shopping spree as I knew they would be perfect!! :)

I knew I wanted to use my gorgeous Kioshi papers so, after a quick look to choose likely sheets, I settled down to colour the beautiful Aimi with Lantern image with my PMs and FMs... first time I’d done any colouring in ages, colour combos I’d never used before, first time colouring this stamp *and* no time to do-over if it all went horribly wrong after I’d got halfway through... so no pressure on myself there then!! :S lol Luckily, thanks to a spare image (or three!!) to test my colours on first, it actually worked pretty well first time and I was pretty chuffed :) So that was day one... now for a night’s sleep and a rest for my aching neck/back!!lol

Then back again the next day to put image and papers together... I wanted to use this lovely paper with the flowers over one side as my main piece and didn’t think it need too much fuss on it, both because that’s not really my sis’ thing and because the paper is just to pretty to cover up. So I just embellished what was there with glaze, glitter and some stamped Japanese- my sis says Kanji?!l- characters which I gilded with Flitter Glu and flakes... all (except perhaps the glitter, but you just *have* to have glitter, right!?!) to add to the traditional gilded and lacquered oriental feel... :)

I cut the numbers on my electronic cutting machine and layered them on another piece from the Kioshi pad with some more gilded characters for interest...

For the base of my easel I also cut one of my Cherry Blossom border svgs, which I designed last year, to make the stopper. The happy birthday stamp and handwritten ‘sister’ are heat embossed with gold glitter powder as I don’t ever like the look of gilding on fine text stamps. The final touches were just a few punched butterflies dotted around and some pretty blue pearls :)

The List:

• 6x6in Sq. White card blank plus extra panel for easel front
• Geisha Girls Aimi with Lantern stamp from LOTV, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers (no list this time as I can't lay my virtual hands on the photo... but if you really want to know something, ask and I'll have another look!!)
• Basic Grey Kioshi paper pad
• Scissor blade (from an old broken pair!!) for distressing edges
• Japanese character stamps from Aspects of Design’s Japanese Plum Blossom stamp plate
• Indigo Blu Flitter Glu and Variegated Green Gilding Flakes from Crafty Notions
• Quickie Glue Pen (for gilding flake detail)
• Diamond Glaze
• Sakura Clear Stardust pen
• Happy Birthday stamp from Penny Black, VersaMark ink and Gold glitter embossing powder
• X-cut label dies
• Electronic cutter for my own design Cherry Blossom border cut-file and numbers (cut from gold pearl card)
• Tiny Butterfly punch from Lakeland years ago
• 3mm Pale Blue Pearls

As I wasn’t going to be seeing my sis’ before her birthday and her main pressies was absolutely not postable (you’ll see why if you stop by next Monday...!!! ;) ), I also made a little gift to pop in the post with her card... a little glass cabochon necklace made with a piece of matching Kioshi paper :)

I added a few coloured beads to the bail on a jump ring for interest and was quite pleased with the pretty way they hung over the heart :)

And a pic of both together :) I was pleased with how they came out... and my sis' loved them too, so smiles all round!! :D

I’d like to enter these in the following challenges (either the card, necklace or both as each challenge allows): Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes :) ; Moving Along with the Times - Only Girls Allowed :) ; Beading Friends Forever - Anything Goes :) ; Inspire Me Fridays - # :) ; Happy Hour Projects Friday Linky Party - 02.08 :)

Thank you so much for popping by today- I truly appreciate the comments people have been kind enough to leave for me and am trying to do better at leaving comments and returning visits just as much as my health/energy allows :) I hope you’re all well and have a lovely weekend!! :) Oh, and don’t forget to pop back on Monday for a special post with my sis’ gift!! :)

CAS with PTI...

Hey everyone!! :)

I’m back again... if a bit later than I hoped but I am just going to go with the flow and post when I can so it’s all good!! :) Last week was a pretty rubbish week, hence no blogging- I spent most of the time either half-comatose with exhaustion or in so much pain that half-comatose would’ve felt like a blessed relief!! :S But, in the odd good patches I did finally manage to have a play and make a few v simple cards... which probably saved my sanity!! :) Here they are...

This uber-CAS trio are all made with a stamp set and co-ordinating die from Papertrey Ink (I sense a dangerous new addiction coming on!!) which a lovely blogging buddy and great friend so kindly sent me for my birthday and I have been dying to have a play with ever since :)

I made myself a stack of card blanks and some mats the other week so I just got out my beloved Memento inks in my fav colours and just had a play... *ahhhh* stamps, ink and plain cardstock- pure, relaxing bliss!! :) lol I absolutely love having the perfect die-cut stamp and being able to add the little heart in the balloon in a different colour!! :) I can see these in so many different colourways too!! :)

I added the borders from a Papermania set just to give a bit more strength and interest to the design and edged the mats, too :) Simple as that- they’re pretty basic but I was really pleased with them :) Oh, and almost forgot the bracket die cuts I added at the last minute to hide a pink smudge in *just* the wrong spot!!lol

The List:

A6 top-fold white card blanks plus extra card for matting and die-cutting (card from C&C ages ago)

PTI Heart-2-Heart #2 stamp set (including sentiments) and co-ordinating die

Papermania Mix & Match Borders stamp set

Memento inks in Teal Zeal, Lilac Posies, Sweet Plum, Lulu Lavender and London Fog

CC Designs Parenthesis die

I’d like to enter the following challenges: Bunny Zoe’sCrafts – Anything Goes :) : Addicted to CAS #5 – Heart :)

And an arty shot cos I was I that kind of mood!! ;)

Well, I’ve made it to the end of my first papercraft post including supplies list so maybe now I will really feel like I’m blogging proper again!! :) :) Thank you so much for stopping by and for the comments on my last post- they meant a lot after so long especially!! :) I hope you are all keeping well and get a good night’s sleep tonight... I just hope we don’t get any more of the thunder we had earlier this evening-...sooo loud and with snow falling at the same time- our weather is just plain crazy!!lol

Snowflakes and Sparkles... :)

Hello Bloggers!! :)

Well, it’s been sooo long since my last post that I am having major problems remembering how all this blogging malarkey works... but I’m back and want to wish you all a very Happy 2013 a tad belatedly- I hope it’s been good to you so far!! :)

Now, you may (or may not!!) have noticed that I’ve taken a bit of an unexpected break from Blogland over the last few months... I won’t go into it in too much detail but 2012 turned out to be a bit of a rollercoaster year for me- some additional health issues made for some very extreme lows but despite that, the few extreme highs actually left me feeling this has been one of my better years so I can’t complain too much... the health stuff has just taken a bit of adjusting to and something had to give- and unfortunately, along with a lot of other things, that was my little blog and, to a lesser extent, my crafting :( But I have still been creating, just at a slower pace and a little less of the papercrafts, and have been checking out your blogs when I have been able too... and since Xmas particularly, my blog has been calling to me so I am going to attempt to get back into it... I just don’t know how regularly I’ll manage to post for a while as I am very much still feeling my way in terms of what and how much I can manage and trying to find a better balance between the different things going on in my life... but let’s get on to the crafty stuff, eh!!lol

This year I didn’t make many Xmas cards- one of those rearranging priorities and being kinder to myself things!!- but I did make some gifts... and this little set of beaded snowflakes was one of them...

After being given one of these gorgeous decorations by a lovely friend a few years ago, I made some for friends and family but never got around to photographing them properly to share... so when I finally got this set made for some lovely friends (who visited me in the summer- one of the highs that helped turn my year around :D) I made sure to get some decent pics!! :)

They are pretty simple to make- just adding beads to a pre-bought wire snowflake form... I added the wire circles too, as I loved the effect of them on the one I was given, but you don’t even have to do that, just the six beaded spokes look lovely!! :)

The beads are Czech Firepolished Glass- Opal and Clear with an Aurora Borealis coating- with a few seed beads as spacers... and they are just beautiful when they catch the light!! :)

Which would be why I took so many pics and just couldn’t choose my favs... some things never change!!lol

Whew- well, I think I made it to the end of my first post!!lol Glad there was no big papercrafting supplies list to tackle this time though!! ;) Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did- I am so happy to be back in the wonderful land of blog!! :)

{{{ Ooops- knew that was too good to be true- I forgot all about challenges!!lol I’d like to enter my snowflakes in my lovely friend Elaine’s fabulous All Crafts Challenge  and to Inspire Me Fridays #91 }}}

Summer’s here... at Dream Valley at least!! ;)

Hello there!! :)

I’m back again with another fab new challenge over at Dream Valley- and very timely it is too, seeing as the sun has decided to come out to play at long last here in my little bit of the UK at least!! :) So, if you haven’t already guessed, our theme this fortnight is ‘Summer’ and we are sponsored by Squiggle Stamps!! :)

Now, my card may not immediately scream summer as many of the gorgeous creations from the rest of our fab DT do but, as my health means no chance of going on a ‘sun, sea and sand’ type holiday (or even a ‘rainy English summer’ type one, come to that!!lol), I thought I would make my card reflect what this summer means to me... which, with the Jubilee last month and now the Olympics starting so very soon, is a celebration of all things British... oh, and a simply gorgeous SC digi ‘cause I love it!! :)

So, I have used my Portobello Road papers, stamps and buttons with some kraft card and Distress Inks to give this card a lovely vintagey-London feel... this is one of those cards that just came together so easily and enjoyably from the first moment of colouring to the last touch of embellishment- a challenge can be good but I just love the times when creativity just flows, don’t you!?!! :)

This image is my one of my fav SCs, I think- which is saying something as I love so many of them!! :) – I just think she looks so beautiful in her gorgeous dress, with that flowing long hair and the butterflies as the perfect finishing touch... everything about it just says summer to me, too, so perfect for this challenge!! :) I coloured with PMs, of course, using some new colour combos inspired by the Portobello papers... that’s what I love about paper packs- they challenge me to get out of my colour comfort zone... in fact, I have a pad on my desk at the mo’ which I would never have bought had I seen half the papers in it as it contains one of my most hated colour combos of purple and yellow... but, I’m actually still glad I got it as it has made me work with PMs which I have probably never even picked up before and, even if I don’t *love* the results, I’m pleased to have met the colouring challenge!!lol

I stamped Big Ben and the Postcard from the lovely Portobello stamp set on a piece of the Portobello paper, trimmed and distressed- the detail stamps so well, too!! :) - and then tucked them in behind the image... I was going for a bit of a clustered look with all my little extra embellies... not sure it was quite how I planned... but I like it anyway!! :)

Another of my little crocheted flowers with a button and twine and a little seam binding to finish it all off... I’m liking that I can have the Union Jack feel to the colours without necessarily needing to have bright red and royal blue as that’s not really me!! :)

The List:

• 6” sq. Scalloped cream card blank (Craftwork Cards)
• Saturated Canary digi- Cerridwen
• PMs (mostly) to colour (I actually can’t find my pic of the pens I used for this but have tried to piece it together from other pics/lists and my v dodgy memory, think it’s right, though!! :S): Dress- Cardinal Red, Antique Pink and Dusky Rose; Butterflies- Indigo Blue, True Blue, China Blue and Blue Pearl; Gloves- White Pearl (Spectrum Noir), Blue Pearl and Glacier Blue (FlexMarker) – had a bit of an indecisive moment over colour with the gloves!!lol; Skin- Satin, Blush, and Dusky Pink with Sunkissed Pink for cheeks; Hair- Caramel, Cocoa, Henna, Walnut, Umber, Burnt Umber; White Pearl around image and Ivory PM all over the white cardstock to tone in
• Spellbinders Nestie Labels 17
• Kraft card stock
• Papermania Portobello Road papers, stamps and buttons
• VersaFine Vintage Sepia
• Scissors to Distress
• Distress Inks- Antique Linen and Vintage Photo
• Tile Blue seam binding from The Ribbon Girl
• One of my little crocheted flowers in pink embroidery thread
• Ivory button twine from TRG
• Sakura Clear Stardust pen and waterbrush
• Ivory Flat-backed Pearls

...phew- long list!!lol

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges: Papertake Weekly - All Things Girly :) ; Fab 'n; Funky - Make Your Own Flowers :) ; Divas by Design - Anything Goes :) ; Allsorts - Distressing :) ; Charisma - Your favourite Animal (Butterflies, if they are big enough on my card to count?!) :)

Okay, that’s it from me for now- thank you so much for stopping by and reading my waffle and I hope you like this one!! :) Pleased pop over to the DVblog to see the rest of my teamies fab summer creations and I hope you get some lovely sunshine to inspire you to join in wherever you are!! :) Hope you’re all well and have a lovely week... I’m hoping to make the most of the sun out in the garden while we’ve got it!! :)