Sun Printing on Fabric

Thought I'd share my little piece of sun printed fabric.
(I was just trying out some fabric paint to see if they worked).  There are specially produced paints for this; Pebeo Setacolor Soleil being one; but I'd read that you can use other paints.  The yellow I used is Dylon Fabric Paint and the green (though it looks more turquise here) is Colourcraft Opaques Fabric Paint.  If you've never done this before it's very simple.  Just wet your fabric (don't saturate it) then brush paint on.  Place a stencil, leaves/grass, cut out paper shapes, anything you like really that will create a pattern, on top and leave it in the sun till the fabric is dry, et voila!


Also sharing a card I've made for my friend.  I printed the greeting on the computer using the 'glow' facility in Word which adds a little glow round the letters, added a bit of distress ink to the centre of the card then stamped the owl with black ink.

366 Journal and other stuff

It's that time again; time to post our pages for Kate's challenge.  On the ball this month!  After adding the fairies I thought I'd just add a few toadstools but then decided to do them all along the bottom - I preferred it when there were only a few.  Same with the tiny flowers, initially was only going to add a few but then added more.  The pages looked better with less toadstools and flowers but I thought it would be too much faffing to try to fix it.  The colours for May look too wishy-washy here, the background is PaperArtsy Fresco Haystack and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.

I went to the Stitch & Creative Craft show at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool last Friday with a couple of friends and met up with 2 other friends there.  I didn't buy a lot as we went to a big show at the NEC in March and I spent enough there.  I couldn't resist the fairy stamps even though I was adamant I wasn't going to buy any more of Tracey's (Lavinia Stamps) beautiful stamps.  Are you a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character when it comes to crafting?  I am.  I love grunge, steampunk and the like and lots of detail but I also like plain and simple and not so much cutesy but pretty; I love fairies.  At shows Tracey does lots of demos and she had some beautiful cards on display.  I don't make as many cards or do as much stamping as I used to as I'm doing a lot more needlework, but was inspired to use my Lavinia stamps to make a birthday card.

At the craft group I go to in Brighouse once a month we sometimes have a challenge.  Last month it was to do a challenge we found online (not to enter the challenge but to make something using the theme from the challenge).  I made this tag which I'd previously done the background on using monoprinting.  The theme of the challenge I liked was to use a mask.  I think you may just about be able to see a button mask I used towards the top lefthand corner.

366 Journal

March's pages complete and April's started :-) Not much to say about them. For more about this challenge pop over to Kate's.

 I've been making other things but can't show them as they're for a challenge for the 'craftydollybirds' formerly the Dolly Birds but as we do so much more than make dolls these days someone came up with the name of craftydollybirds for our blog.  I made a Kindle cover but then turned it into a journal cover.  The journal has been passed on with the head I made for the challenge.  I can show a couple of Easter cards I made as they've been received now.

Also been doing a spot of DIY.  I've put together a vanity unit for the bathroom but had to cut a hole in the base and shelf to fit it round the sink pedestal.  As you can see the cut in the base is very wonky.  I really needed some clamps to hold it firmly and also had to use the jigsaw upside down - that's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking with it.  The hole in the shelf is much better.  Just have to cut the top now to fit round the sink :-/  That may fall to DD's partner.  I'll take a pic of the unit once the top is in place.

It had to happen sooner or later! Plus, sneak peeks revealed.

Oh no, it just had to happen sooner or later - I bet many of you have done the same - paintbrush in the teacup!

I can reveal 2 of my recent sneak peeks 'cso they've been received now.  First up is the doll!  This was for a swap born out of the PIF project and went to my friend Ann The 2nd one, an embroidered box, was part of the PIF and went to Kathleen  The box is made from fabric paper - muslin with tissue paper glued on, - which I painted and embellished with free machine embroidery.  I'd already received a lovely book from Kathleen :-) but forgot to blog it, I will do that at a later date.  I'll be receiving my swap from Ann on Friday and can't wait ;-)

I don't show many cards these days 'cos they're usually gone before I've thought to take a pic, but here's one I made for my friend Pat She's an avid Stampotique fan. I did some machine stitching on the card; I've been meaning to do more of that for a long time after seeing it used to great effect on other blogs.

Sunday Stampers - Winter

I'm early with my entry for the Sunday Stampers challenge this week.  Pop over to Hels for more info.  the theme this week is 'Winter'; I decided I'd just do another card to add to my Christmas card collection.  Just a bog-standard card.  The thing I'm most pleased about is the sentiment - my own homemade rub-on yay!! soooo easy :-)  Sorry I can't remember whose blog I saw the link on, but here is the link

Ask Erin

WOYWW - July 27th

Eek mine's a right mess again.  Firstly the eyes are still on my wonderful easel - I won't be decorating mine.  There's a piece of paper with an imprint of a flower that I pounded onto a piece of fabric but it didn't turn out very well, too many petals so it wasn't definite enough, but I will have another go.  You just pound it with a hammer so if you've lots of pent up frustration have a go.  Then there are some stencils I've been using and lots of bits and pieces some of which  have been laying around for weeks!  Pop over too the magnificent Miss Julia's and see just how many people are proudly showing their workdesks and then join in.  Oh you may have heard that it was my birthday on Sunday LOL well I blogged the cards I'd received up till then in Mondays post but here are the ones that arrived Monday and Tuesday - thanks be for cyber friends otherwise the pile would be a lot smaller!

I went to Ikea yesterday and found some cake stencils and masks which I bought but not for cakes ;-)  I've sprayed the 4 large ones - approx 11" diameter - onto one sheet.  The green ones show negative and positive, those 2 are 81/2" x 81/2" and the blue ones are 5" diameter.  The 3 small and 2 medium were in 1 pack for £1.99 and the 4 large in 1 pack for£2.99 - bargain!

 

For pics of York and recipe for Tiffin see previous post.  For USA visitors after looking on the internet I think Graham's Crackers may be a reasonable alternative for digestive biscuits in the recipe ;-)

xx

Anything goes week 8 - Stars

DD asked me to make a card for a little boy she's been looking after for a few years as a childminder.  I'd made one with stars on for another boy that she only looked after during the holidays but had already given it to her when I saw this week's challenge for Anything Goes so thought I'd put stars on this one too.  I've usedholographic card behind the checked paper, to mount the greeting on and for the stars (I find holo can look like striped/patterned paper in photos) The monkey and snake are dimensional stickers from Poundland - 2 sheets per pack  :-)

Sunday Stampers and Christmas Club

I haven't done a 2 in 1 just posting 2 together.  Firstly Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge.  The theme this week is Pearls.  I've used the canvas that I won in the SS challenge some weeks ago.  I painted the background with white paint, coloured with a liitle Stream Adirondak colour wash - not painted all over, just patchy.  I used Dyan's Lime colour wash with 2 stencils in the corners and colouredsome Golden gel medium which I've used again with stencils in the opposite corners, (in some places it's not so thick so the colour underneath shows through)  The image is called FaeAway but I can't remember where it's from.  I've used some hessian and threaded it through a 'thing' cut on the Robo, which has been triple embossed with Key Lime Pie and a bit of Ebony (from Once Upon A Stamp); I've threaded a painted cocktail stick through.  I've stamped with some of Tim's stamps - butterly and floral in pink on left side - not showing up too well; and a flourish stamp in green.  I've stitched some pearl beads onto the canvas and finally edged it with gold leaf pen.

I've used an image of my grandson on the Christmas card, and though it's not exactly 'arctic'; which is the theme for dcdchristmasclub this week, the conditions are arctic to me hehe.  The 'snow' and greeting are computer generated.

;-)

2 In 1

This is the first time I've entered 1 item into 2 challenges.  This week's challenge over at Anything Goes is to use monochrome and include buttons and bows.  The challenge over at Susie's Christmas Club is to use all white but a dash of colour is allowed.  I've just stamped the image and greeting in blue and just edged the fancy shape in blue also, everything else is white (just a touch of gold at the edge of the ribbon).  The glitter on the top and bottom of the card is either iridescent or white but looks a bit creamy here.  So entering this into:

1. Anything Goes

2. dcdchristmasclub

Am just working on my entry for the Sunday Stampers challenge and hopefully will be able to post it tomorrow ;-)

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Snowflakes

I haven't made anything for Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club for a couple of weeks but have managed it this week.  The theme this week is 'Snowflakes'.  I don't know what the DP is as it was a piece I got free with my Big Shot.  The plain paper is form a HOTP book I've had for yonks.  I stamped the 'snowflakes' with a Studio G set and just cut the banner out by hand.  The fancy border is a MS punch ;o)

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Stitching

Back on the ball this week for the Christmas Club - I only got as far as thinking about it last week hehe.  The theme this week is Stitching.  I've stitched the pink velvet trim onto the card - stitching's not good but couldn't be bothered trying to sort out the tension, sorry :-/   The stamp was a real bargain from Pollycraft (they still have some stamps in the clearance sale if you're looking for a bargain) The fancy shape was cut on the Robo but I cut the pink layer by hand by drawing round the white one - thought I'd let you know in case it looks wonky LOL.
Blogger is not letting me leave comments on some blogs but is on others, so if I don't leave a comment where I usually would or after you've left me one, blame blogger!!
I've checked out blogger help to no avail.  I am unable to edit page elements either in the side bar or in 'Layout' also so again any ideas would be appreciated xx

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Stocking

I decided to join in with Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club challenge as I was still making cards onChristmas Eve last year so decided to avoid that this year.  Why not pop over and then join in, after all making one a week is easy.  There's a different theme set each Saturday, this week's is 'Christmas Sotckings'.  I've used PaperArtsy's Rum + Raisin papers for the background and the stocking and added a fabric flower; hand-cut I might add ;)

Happy Saturday

Happy Saturday all ;)
I've made a birthday card for a very sassy lady (hint hint) which I can't share yet but will give you a sneaky peek :) I cut out some fabric flowers on Thursday and have used some on this card.  Can't wait to get my little mitts on the new Sizzix die-cutting machine when it's launched.  I bought some of Tim's Alterations Dies but hadn't realised they are too wide to go through my old red Sizzix! - the 'On The Edge' dies fit though. Then I'll be able to cut out loads of fabric flowers using the Tattered Florals die!
I had to sew some strips of fabric round the top of the grandkids trampoline net (shown here) as it was all ripped and also some strips of wide elastic for tying it to the poles.  It may not seem much of a job but the trampoline is a 14ft one - you can work out the circumference if you want hehe.  Next job is sewing a basket thing for one of the swings which is all ripped but it looks like we may have to take the whole thing down including the rope.  it won't be easy to sew, someone will have to hold the metal frame while I sew but can only do it by having a seam on the outside of the fabric.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend - nice long weekend for most of those who work ;)
xx
EDITED to include some candy I won from the fabulous Susie  there are 6 each of the cute images

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Very Vintage Christmas

The theme for Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club this week is 'Very Vintage Christmas'.  Pop over and join in if you want to get a head start on making your Christmas cards this year - how hard can it be to make just one a week?  ;-)  I thought I'd struggle with this as I thought I didn't have any vintage Christmas stamps but had thought of using an angel stamp and did have some papers I thought would be suitable, problem is I couldn't find them, though a thought has just occurred to me.  However I remembered I have a Tim Holtz mini Christmas stamp that would've been suitable but have ended up using an image from the Rum + Raisin PaperArtsy papers I bought a couple of weeks ago.  The background papers are also Rum + Raisin.
xx

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Reindeer

Over at Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club this week the theme is 'Reindeer'.  The challenge is set each Saturday, I'm good an early this week ;)  I've used the beautiful reindeer stamp from Tim's Reindeer Flight set.  the background paper and strips are from Prima Tropics.  I've embellished the centre of the centre of the snowflake with beads.
xx

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Baubles

The theme for Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club challenge this week is 'Baubles'.  The background paper is from Trend Line stack by Kars, the blue layer is self-adhesive cardstock by DCWV,  the flourish and embellishment dies were cut on the Robo then glittered.  I used the MS doily punch for the lacy strip and the bauble is cut from AC (American Crafts) foil Specialty Paper.
I won the challenge last week and received my goodies this morning, but will have to post later as I'm off out shortly ;)
xx

Susie + Vikki's Christmas Club - Presents & Gifts

A bit later than last week but better than the previous week hehe.  I've finally finished my entry for Susie + Vikkie's club this week.  It was mostly done a few days ago but I wanted to cut some snowflakes on the Robo and only managed to do that yesterday.  I may also enter this for Christmas Cards All Year as the challenge for March is to use mainly green.  But I've got another 4 cards to go for that one!
xx

Sunday Stampers - Rabbits or Alice In Wonderland

The theme for Sunday Stampers this week over at Hels place is Rabbits or Alice In Wonderland or both.  As I don't have any Alice stamps or a rabbit stamp that I could use on something more arty I've settled for a kid's card this week and used a cute rabbit.  Just a simple card too :)  plus I've used a peel-off for the greeting - so shoot me! LOL - as I think the stamp set with lots of happy birhthays in is buried beneath a mound which I couldn't be bothered going through properly!  Will have to pick up each cars and bit of paper/card separately to find them  The frame round the greeting is from the Anna Griffin flourish set from Craft Day and I may include this card in another challenge for the Crafts by Caroline forum which requires using one item on 10 cards; be it a stamp, image, embelllishment or whatever so I'm going to try using the frame stamp.
xx

Sunday Stampers - Clowns

The theme for the Sunday Stampers - check out Hels' blog - this week is 'Clowns'.  As I didn't have a clown stamp I downloaded an image to colour in (couldn't print out a coloured one 'cos colour cartridge has run out)  As you need to include some stamping, I stamped the background on the yellow card and the happy birthday.
xx

Susi + Vikki's Christmas Club

The theme for Christmas cards this week over at Susie + Vikki's is 'holly'.  I was trying to figure just where to place the holly; which is stamped using the holly from the Inkadinkado Christmas Silhouettes set; when I realised that one of the chipboard circles I'd spotted while rifling through a Christmas kit would fit over a circle printed on the background paper and decided to put the holly around it.  The chipboard letters aren't fixed down onto the paper so can jiggle about on the wire.  I used my MS doily punch for the border strip.
:)