With This Ring at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! It's Cec Wintonyk's turn to host the latest challenge over on the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog and given that weddings are the focus this time she's called it 'With This Ring'. Cec challenges us to create vintage or shabby chic projects that celebrate the big day. Your creation might be a card, a gift, a decor item or something to keep the memories of the special occasion.

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so there are plenty of reasons for joining in the fun.

As luck would have it there is a wedding in our family this year so I've taken the opportunity to create something bespoke - using Eileen Hull's HeARTfelt 'Journal' I've created a Guest Book with plenty of room for everyone attending the celebrations to record a message for the happy couple.

Here are the signature inserts, crisp, white, and ready for all those lovely messages to be recorded for posterity.

There have already been questions about how the flowers came together so here's the full tutorial.

Step 1 - Apply Texture Paste through the Ornate stencil over the front and back covers of the journal.

Step 2 - Join the front and back covers together with strong adhesive down the centre of the spine.

Step 3 - Stick the closure tab onto the centre back cover along the longest side.

Step 4 - Stick a plaque from the die set onto the upper centre of the front cover.

Step 5 - Cover the insides and outsides of the journal with a layer of white gesso.

Step 6 - Cover the journal with Picket Fence Distress Paint on the insides and outsides.

Step 7 - Highly dilute Hickory Smoke Distress Paint with water and apply a wash over the whole of the journal, dabbing away the excess to accentuate the stencilled patterns.

Step 8 - Dab white gesso onto both sides of a piece of watercolour card randomly with a wet wipe.

Step 9 - Apply Spun Sugar Distress Spray Stain over both sides of the card and dry completely.

Step 10 - Repeat Step 9 with Tattered Rose Distress Spray Stain.

Step 11 - Cut small flowers, in threes, from the card using the Tattered Florals dies. Shape with a ball tool or similar as shown in the picture. Glue the tightest flower inside the slightly looser flower, then glue onto the open flower and allow to dry.

Step 12 - Cut branches from card, layer together to form longer and thicker branches. Cover in a layer of Brushed Pewter Distress Paint. I wound thin silver wire around them at this stage.

Step 13 - Separate out the white stems from the Idea-ology Bouquet flowers into individual flowers. Add to the branches with the Tattered Floral flowers and leaves painted with Peeled Paint Distress Spray Stains. Apply dots of Pewter Liquid Pearls to the centres of the pink flowers. Stick the flower laden branches onto the closure at the front of the journal

Step 14 - Paint card with Tattered Rose Distress Paint and cut letters using the Alphanumeric Marquee Thinlits dies. Stick onto the plaque on the front of the journal.

Step 15 - Cut pages from watercolour card and white Sizzix Paper Leather (for the signature covers) 19cm x 22 cm, fold along the centre of the longest side and stitch together with waxed thread.

To finish I ran 2mm white elastic cord through the journal spine as directed on the instructions that come with the die. The three stitched signatures were secured through the elastic strands. I also tied seam binding, coloured with Tattered Rose Distress Paint, though the centre of the spine and through the closure tab.

Here are some close ups of the finished Journal/Wedding Guest Book;

That's it for my DT project for the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'With This Ring' I hope you've enjoyed today's tutorial. Do make sure you hop on over to see what my talented team mates have been inspired to create. And remember to link your own wedding/romantic themed shabby chic or vintage projects, to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes.

Have a fantastic end to your week, take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx

You're My Inspiration at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! It's Nancy Dynes turn to host the latest challenge over at Frilly and Funkie and her chosen theme this time is 'You're My Inspiration!' Here's what she says about it; "Simply find any type of image or photo that inspires you to create a vintage or shabby chic project. Please post your inspiration image on your blog along with your project, and tell us what it is you love about it. The inspiration image does not need to be included as part of your project, just on your blog post."

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so there are plenty of reasons for joining in the fun.

So here's the picture that kick started my creative brain (and has done before, wow! over 2 year ago HERE);

Here's the card I came up with this time, inspired by the mix of aged mirror, paint and script;

Time for the step by step tutorial, which has been broken into four chunks.

Step 1 - Rub over a sheet of Metallic Kraft card with a sanding grip.

Step 2 - Use a brayer to apply a patchy layer of Pumice Stone Distress Paint.

Step 3 - When dry, brayer a patchy layer of Iced Spruce Distress Paint.

Step 4 - Repeat Step 3 using Frayed Burlap Distress Paint.

Step 5 - Use the stamps from the Etcetera set with Black Archival Ink to add a patchwork of images over the card. Chop down the card to fit a 6" square card.

Step 6 - Take an A6 sized piece of card and dip it into diluted Iced Spruce Distress Oxide.

Step 7 - Dry thoroughly before repeating Step 6 with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide.

Step 8 - Repeat Step 6 this time with Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide.

Step 9 - Repeat Step 6 with Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide.

Step 10 - Finally repeat Step 6 with another layer of Vintage Photo Distress Oxide.

Step 11 - Cut a 9.5cm chunk from this card and use FlitterGlu to stamp the largest of the circles from the Brushstrokes set. Cover with Sheffield Steel Mega Flakes, rub over with your finger and use a Scoochy from the FlitterGlu starter set to remove any excess. Repeat this process using the ledger sheet image from the Etcetera set on the remaining inky card.

Step 12 - Stamp the numbers in the Etcetera set at the top and bottom of the card using Orange Blossom and Watering Can Archival Ink.

Step 13 - Use the circular die from the Tim Holtz Scribbles and Splats Thinlits die set to cut a spiral shape from the left over altered Metallic Kraft card. Stamp the two ephemera images from the Etcetera set onto card using Watering Can and Orange Blossom Archival Ink, then cut them out.

Step 14 - Stitch around the edges of the main piece of Metallic Kraft card and the largest piece of inky card with a sewing machine and black cotton. Cut matting layers of Yellow and Black Classic Kraft card, sand and ink over with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide. Cut a rectangular piece from the ledger stamped inky card, then ink around the edges of both pieces with more Vintage Photo Distress Oxide.

Step 15 - Add small splatters of diluted Ripe Persimmon, Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber, Tumbled Glass, Evergreen Bough and Weathered Wood Distress Paint over the centre of the larger piece of inky card  (you can use less and your choice of colours instead).

Step 16 - Add Rusty Hinge and Brushed Pewter Distress Paints to the edge of two Quote Chips.

To finish, layer up the elements created as shown on the main photo, adding Star Adornments and an Index Clip Fastener inked with Orange Blossom and Watering Can Archival Ink. Here's some close ups of the end results;

That's it for my DT project for the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'You're My Inspiration!' I hope you've enjoyed today's tutorial. Do make sure you hop on over to see what my talented team mates have been inspired to create. And remember to link your own shabby chic or vintage projects, together with a picture showing what has inspired you to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes.

Have a fantastic end to your week, take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx

Sweet Treats and Stampotique Hanging Hearts Basket for Eileen Hull Designs

Hi everyone and welcome! Last week I shared a 'serving suggestion' for the Basket from Eileen Hull Designs HeARTfelt Collection, released by Sizzix (you can find it HERE). Well one was simply not enough! As part of the Inspiration Team's collaboration with Stampotique I was lucky enough to receive the 'Hanging Heart's stamp and couldn't wait to see what it would look like on the side of a sweet treats basket.

I haven't done a full tutorial for this basket as basically the process is the same as for the first one. Following the first four steps in my original post, I added uneven layers of Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry and Candied Apple Distress Paints (gosh, even the names get the mouth watering right?!) When dry I used my finger to apply a thin uneven layer of Wendy Vecchi Crackled Texture Paste and let it air dry. I pounced the Candied Apple paint onto every edge before assembling the basket.

The Hanging Hearts were stamped on each side of the basket using embossing ink and were given a coat of Hammered Metal Embossing Powder from Emerald Creek Crafts. I love how the mix of ingredients in this powder give a finish that isn't just flat colour! You'll see the hearts were then painted with more of the paint used to colour the basket. The words 'When we love - we grow', also from Stampotique, were stamped with Black Archival Ink to add a final finishing touch.

Imaging my delight in finding some berry bonbons that matched the basket perfectly!

Needless to say, those are disappearing fast in this house now the photos have been taken... 

I hope this inspires you to make your own sweet treats basket for someone special. There will be lots more projects coming throughout the rest of this month from the Eileen Hull Inspiration Team as part of the collaboration with Stampotique - you can check them all out HERE.

I'll be back tomorrow with a new Frilly and Funkie creation. For now have a great day, take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx

Eileen Hull, Stampotique, the Basket and Moving Home

Hi everyone and welcome! As part of a month long collaboration between Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team and the good folks at Stampotique I've got another new project to share with you today; this time I'm using the 'Basket' die from Eileen's HeARTfelt collection, some of her gorgeous double-sided patterned papers from the HeARTfelt Paper Pad and fun images from Stampotique.

One of the samples I made for the Creativation 2017 show was a little basket using Eileen's fabulous die. It proved particularly useful for holding business cards and this gave me the idea for the latest project, a holder for change of address cards. It just so happens one of the designs in Eileen's patterned Paper Pad is a house which worked perfectly with the 'Stitched Houses' stamp from Stampotique.

So here's the basket/new home card holder, complete with coordinating card blanks. You'll see the houses stand proud from the sides of the basket to allow for the free movement of the handles and there's a faux stitched theme to the basket base to match the papers and houses design.

Let's get started with the tutorial for making it (click on the images for a closer look);

Step 1 - Cut one base, two sides, two handles and two basket rims from mat board or similar using the Basket die. I like to run the basket rim shapes back through the die lined up with the top of the side cut to shape it.

Step 2 - Paint both sides of every element with Salty Ocean Distress Paint. An even coverage is not required.

Step 3 - Apply Mowed Lawn Distress Paint to your craft mat and press each element into it to add a second uneven layer. Reapply the paint to your craft mat for every piece coloured.

Step 4 - Repeat the previous step, this time using Tumbled Glass Distress Paint.

Step 5 - Roll a tracing wheel over the outer edges of each side piece to create interlocking wavy lines of faux stitching.

Step 6 - Use black and white permanent pens to draw lines following the holes created by the tracing wheel.

Step 7 - Fold the base pieces and stick to the basket sides with strong adhesive of your choice.

Step 8 - Attach the handles to one side of the basket base using brads through the pre-cut holes.

Step 9 - Glue one of the shaped basket rim pieces over the brads on the inside of the basket.

Step 10 - Repeat the last two steps to secure and cover the basket handles on the other side of the basket.

Step 11 - Stamp the 'Stitched Houses' design on to four different sheets of from the Paper Pad and cut out.

Step 12 - Layer different roofs and buildings over 10 of the stamped houses.

Step 13 - Stamp the houses onto mat board. Cut out the building parts, colour the edges with Tumbled Glass Distress Paint, and glue onto the backs of each of the corresponding paper houses. These can now be glued onto the sides of the basket, overlapping where required.

Step 14 - Cut white card into business card sized rectangles (roughly 3.5" x 2") and cut smaller pieces of paper from the multi-coloured houses Paper Pad sheet (roughly 1.5" x 2"). Stick the patterned paper to the ends of the white card rectangles to create matching new home address cards.

Here are some close ups of the finished new home address card holder so you can see those all important details;

I hope you've enjoyed seeing this little project and the tutorial. If you have any questions please feel do leave a comment below and I'll do my best to help. Meantime please do make sure you hop on over to the Eileen Hull Designs blog where there are links to even more projects which several of my uber-talented Inspiration Team mates are sharing as part of the collaboration this month.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Whatever you're up to take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx