You Rock...

Today are some fun cards and ATC's.

I used some of the painted papers that I had made for my last project. I had painted 3 sheets of cardstock with my Decoart acrylics as well as a sheet of butchers paper. 

 

From one sheet of A4 cardstock. I cut out 3 cards and 3 ATC's so that worked out so well. I also cut out some black card stock to back them all. 

 Once you paint on cardstock with all the layers of paint and Gesso. It can be quite tricky to get them to stay on without the edges curling up. So using the 450 Quick Dry Adhesive did the trick. 

I made some flowers with some old lace curtains. I cut them out with my Bigshot and the Tim Holtz movers and shapers die cut, the Mini Tattered Floral Set. Then using some white string I placed a small blob of 450 Quick Dry Adhesive in the centre. I then grabbed some white string made a circle with the string, filling the centre. Using some tweezers. 

I placed a small pearl in the very centre of the flower. 

To finish off my card I wrapped the card 3 times with more white string and using the 450 Quick Dry Adhesive placed the flower over the top of the string. 

Thought the You Rock stamp from Paper smooches, kind of suited my cards and ATC's.

 After all, you all Rock.

Have a great day

Vicki-Ann :)

Mail Art...

It is so fun to get mail art in the letter box. I am sure it makes the postman smile too. 

Using my small Gelli plate on my acrylic block. I added small amounts of acrylic paint. Then using my brayer. I rolled it out and then rolled the excess paint onto my cardstock. I also pressed papers onto my Gelli plate to get some prints too.

Then using my Helmar Premium Craft Glue on the back of the cardstock I added it to the left side of my envelope. Cutting the excess off with my scissors. A simple way to add some fun to a plain envelope.

This one I painted the envelope with my brayer and using my Gelli plate as a stamp I stamped on the right side. I then cut some circles out of one of the prints. Using some of the Helmar Premium Craft glue I added these to the front on the left side. I drew around them with my black pen and did some scribble writing. Added a few tiny circles over the top with a TCW stencil.

Have a great day
Vicki-Ann :)

Vintage themed mini tags...

I have been having some fun making some mini tags. I have an awesome tag punch that I thought needed some use. It is a fun way to use up some of my scrap papers.

So first I cut out some tag shapes from some of my coffee stained papers in card stock. Then tore up some book papers and card stock with some writing on and using a blending tool and some vintage distress ink. I blended around the tag and the torn edges of the card stock. I had some cheese cloth so I cut some of that off and dirtied it up a bit with the blending tool and ink. Then I fussy cut some butterflies, as I am making a few of these. I also used my hole reinforcement punch and punched some book papers to pop over the hole.
Now I have all my pieces ready it is time to get the Helmar premium craft glue out. This glue is terrific. It glues everything down so well, dries so quickly but gives you enough time to move it or straighten it without leaving a mess of too much glue. It does not buckle the paper and if you get it some in a place you do not want it. You can just gently rub it and it will come off. I would have to say it is my favourite.

So first using the Helmar premium craft glue and the card stock distressed tag. I glued the book paper, then the writing paper, the cheese cloth layer then on top of that.

I popped my focal image of the fussycut butterfly on top of the cheese cloth.  I thought the tiny piece of cheesecloth just gave it a bit more added texture.Under a couple of the butterflies, to give them a bit of added dimension. I added a little blob (technical term) of Helmar liquid scrap dots. I used a bulb clip through the hole and attached a bee and a scissor charm.

These are a great tiny addition to planners and travelers notebooks. Add them in pockets or attach with a brad. Or even just as a little gift to add a smile to someone’s day.

Have a great day
Vicki-Ann :)

Bug Hotel...

My husband and I made a bug, native bee hotel for our vegetable garden. This was such a fun project.

First I gathered all my pieces of wood. I have a heap of off cuts from a friend who builds stair cases. So I just looked through my pile of bits and selected them. 4 smaller pieces to make a square and one big enough to back them on.

I then marked where I wanted the holes drilled on the 4 pieces and the backing board.

  My husband drilled the holes for me. 

I then ran a line of the Helmar Super Strength PVA Wood Glue along the inside edges. We then nailed the 4 pieces together forming a square. 

We attached the square to the backing board with a bracket screwed to the inside. The bracket is covered with all the pieces of bamboo that we cut to fit with a hacksaw and an angle grinder. Cutting all the bamboo to size was the longest part to do. We used 2 different sized bamboo.

We had a bit of scrap metal so we decided to bend and nail that over the top to give it a bit more protection from the weather. I painted some chain with a hook, black. I recycled this from a hanging planter to attach through the holes at the top. 

You could just tie some rope through the holes and knot it. 

 So the place to hang this is under shade of a tree. It still needs to get some morning sun though. Wonder how long before we get some insects making a home in here. Will be fun to watch and see how long it takes for them to find it.  Bees do such a wonderful job pollinating my vegetable garden if we can help them in any way, I think it is worth doing. 

Have a great day

Vicki-Ann :) 

Vintage style page dividers

 I have been working on some Vintage tabbed inserts for a vintage journal that I want to make this year. I have been making all sorts of pockets and tabs to add to it.

I have a lot of card that I like to use up for these sort of things. I reuse all sorts of card and cardboard, once it is covered you would not know anyway. To start for this cut any size you like as it is going to get covered in book paper. So on my card I went around the edge with the Helmar Premium Craft Glue then pressed it onto my book paper. Then I trimmed with my scissors around the edge. I did the same with the other side but this time it was just coffee stained paper I used. I used this so I could have it blank to journal on. Then on top of the book paper I added some Tim Holtz washi tape to just get a start on some collage.

Next I selected some ephemera that I have collected. I have a small box I collect things I like the look of. This is sometimes just scrapbook papers that I cut down to fit in the box. I find it easier to use when I look at smaller pieces. I cut it to the size I wanted and then went around all the pieces with my blending tool and my distress ink.

I place the pieces on to the background, then take a photo. This way when I remove them to glue them I have a reference of were I had them. Often it is in layers so a photo really helps.

So starting with the bottom layers I added the Helmar Premium Craft Glue smoothing out with the tip of the bottle. I like that if you pop too much on you can just rub off the excess with your finger.

I wanted a little pocket on each of them so I cut some cardstock in a triangle and just glued with the Helmar Premium Craft Glue along the bottom and side edge. That makes a lovely little tuck spot to add a tag or some tickets.

To add a tab at the top or side I use a die and run it through my bigshot die cutter. I use this die a lot it is one of my favourites. I always do the 2 of them and add the small one to my stash for later. Just fold in half and burnish with a bone folder. Then I use the distress in and blending tool around the edges. Pop some of the Helmar Premium Craft Glue around the edges and in the middle and press on to your project were you want it. I think they are a cute addition. I often add numbers or pop a eyelet in so I can use a bulb pin and trinket.

I really enjoy layering ephemera and collaging it all onto scrap card to make something. So hope you have a go and use your ephemera collection.

Have a great day
Vicki-Ann :)

Postcard swap

 I am an Australian Art swap member on facebook and this time we are swapping postcards. The theme was to recycle Christmas wrapping paper on our postcards and write a quote or some inspiration for the coming year on it.

I cut my card to postcard size, then I received some lovely hand stamped Christmas paper.  I thought was it perfect for this project that I had saved. Using the Helmar Decoupage and Craft Paste. I covered my card with my Christmas paper smoothing out any bubbles.

Next I decided what I wanted to go on top for the next layer. So digging through the box I decided that the sunflower was perfect. I tore some of my Nana's copied recipe and a bit of bird from some  paper.

I always place the pieces on top before gluing and take a photo so I can look back when gluing.

So starting with the recipe piece of paper that is the bottom layer.

I glued using the Helmar Premium Craft glue. Gluing and adding my layers.

I coffee stained some copy paper and typed some quotes. Inked around the edges with vintage photo distress ink and added them to the postcards using the Helmar Premium Craft Glue. I posted these off last week, I hope my swap partners like them. I made a small one for me to add into a book I want to make with all bits and pieces in it.

Have a great day
Vicki-Ann :)

Tri fold card

 I am shocking you with bright colours and doodling today..

I love adding all the tiny marks and doodling on my art work. It is so much fun.

So I cut a piece of watercolour card stock to size 5 x 6 and then lightly sketched a design of some flowers on there. Then using a pink and purple in watercolours I did a wash on the background. Sprinkled water and mopped it up to give some texture. Using some Neocolour II I coloured some book paper with scribbles in yellow and orange. Then added water to smooth it all out. I then used this for my flowers by cutting them into oval and circle shapes.

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Using the Helmar Premium Craft Glue I positioned my flowers on the lines that I redrew with my black pen.  Adding some squiggles and circles around my flowers. Then I used a blue paint pen and white signo pen and filled in some of the lines.

I then cut my paper into 3, 2 x 5 inch strips. So I had 3 panels.

I backed each one with black card stock cut to 2 1/4 x 5 1/4 and using the Helmar Premium Craft glue I backed my watercolour panel on to the black cardstock.

I cut a piece of white cardstock 71/2 x 5 1/4 scoring it every 2 1/2 inches along the 7 1/2 side.

Using the Helmar Preium Craft Glue I attached my watercolour paper design.

Stamped my you rock word and backed it with black cardstock and glued that together with the Helmar Premium Craft glue. 

I really think my friend will enjoy my funky card and she does rock.

Have a great day

Vicki-Ann :)