Crops and Retreats

Wednesday 30 November 2011

Mind week catch up

We have 2 FANTASTIC cards today for you - again from our Guest Designer  - Christine


Beautiful yes? We love how she has used the nestabilities to such a great effect - have a look we have them all at great prices HERE and the flowers and HERE

Just a quick reminder that our 
will be held at Sandon  - so easy to get to 
on 
11th December 2011. 
We are so pleased to have a class designed by the talented Hannah as her blog says - so young and so crafty - amazing young lady.

Hope to see you there

Thursday 10 November 2011

and finally................

Wow what a great response  - we do hope you enjoyed last weeks project and Blog Hop. 
Today we have our final Guest Designer for 2011 
She has made some great projects for you - firstly this beautiful LO
Adore
Supplies used



Christine says....
When spraying flowers with more than one colour do not wait until one colour dries, contrasting colours washing together can look very effective.

Die templates can be used as a mask too – just lay then on your paper and spritz with mist for a different look.

You can change the look of chipboard lettering by inking the edges or stamping straight on to them.

Matting your photos make them ‘pop’ on a busier background



Tuesday 1 November 2011

UKS BLOG HOP


If you are participating in the UKS blog hop, you may have come here from Pickleberry Papercrafts. After checking out our AMAZING project and taking advantage of our special blog hop offer go to Truly Madly Crafty to see the next project. Also see the thread on UKS to see the full list of links and info on the prizes.

Butterfly Photo Frame
By Ali
Ali says - I love the Tim Holtz Mini Butterflies Movers and Shapers dies so made good use of the die-cut shapes on this project! 

Paint photo frame in Copper Adirondack Paint Dabber and leave to dry. 
Paint splodges of PVA glue here and there on the frame and, while the glue is still wet, paint over the entire frame with cream acrylic paint. Leave to dry thoroughly. 
As it dries, the glue will cause the cream paint to crackle and split, revealing the copper colour beneath

.
Print and trim your photos to fit in your chosen apertures on the frame and trim pieces of patterned paper and cream card to fit in the remaining apertures.
Stamp the cream card pieces randomly with Kaisercraft Script and Bubble Wrap clear stamps in brown ink . Stamp the patterned paper randomly with the bubble wrap stamp using Copper Adirondack Paint Dabber. 


(TIP: I didn’t want straight edges to my stamped areas so I ripped scrap paper and laid it across the card before stamping, to create an uneven edge);  

Glue the photos and card/paper pieces into place on the back panel of the photo frame, positioned to show through the apertures.

Stamp sentiment onto cream card using brown ink – mat the card onto patterned paper and fix into chosen aperture using foam tape.

Cut Tim Holtz Elegant Flourishes from cardboard and from cream card and patterned paper. Glue the card and paper flourishes onto the cardboard flourishes and glue the smaller flourishes into place on the frame, fixing the larger flourish into one of the apertures. Add flowers here and there in the apertures and around the flourishes. Add adhesive pearls to the centres of the flowers.
Cut butterfly shapes from cardboard, cream card, patterned paper and acetate using Tim Holtz Mini Butterflies Movers and Shapers dies. Paint some of the cardboard butterflies with Copper Adirondack Paint Dabber and allow to dry. 
Stamp some of the acetate butterflies with the Kaisercraft Script stamp using Timber Brown StazOn – bend the wings up and glue to the painted butterflies, adding dots of Copper Stickles glue down the body of the butterfly. 
Glue cream card and patterned paper butterflies onto cardboard butterflies and decorate using Copper Stickles and adhesive pearls. Glue strips of brown ribbon to cream card and die-cut a butterfly shape – bend the wings up and add Copper Stickles along the body of the butterfly.
Attach the butterflies here and there onto the frame and inside the apertures, attaching some with foam pads or tape.

Use a hot glue gun to attach a Tim Holtz Idea-ology Fractured Doll into one of the apertures.



Thanks for stopping by. We hope you have been inspired. 
Please do leave a comment and as a thank you for your comment we are offering FREE UK SHIPPING
when you place an order (over £10) on our website and we will also include a free gift of a pack of diecut butterflies (the ones used above) 
Please use coupon code BLOGHOP at the checkout. 
Offer valid till end of Wednesday 2nd November 2011

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Just to say Hi

Another FABULOUS project again this week from Ali - a gorgeous card
  • Trim a piece of blue patterned paper to slightly smaller than your card blank and trim a piece of red patterned paper to slightly smaller again. 
  • Layer and attach the papers to the card blank. 
  • Cut the circle and semi-circle designs from the Marrakech Fantasia paper.
  • Using double-sided tape or a tape runner, attach blue chiffon ribbon in a ruffle around the edge of the large semi-circle. Attach the circle and semi-circles to the card.
  • Cut the blue brackets from the Marrakech Fantasia paper, glue onto cardboard and cut out.
  • Print the word “Hi” in reverse on scrap paper and glue onto the reverse of the red Marrakech paper. Cut out the wording using a craft knife. Glue the red paper wording onto cardboard and cut out.
  • Paint the brackets and the wording with a thin layer of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint and allow to dry. 
  • Glue onto the card.

 
 Pop back soon as Ali's last project really is AMAZING and well worth the wait

Friday 14 October 2011

Keep it in the Family

with this FABULOUS LO from Guest Designer Ali 
Supplies 
Cream textured cardstock
Kaisercraft Marrakech papers
Basic Grey mini mono stickers
Chipboard shapes
Buttons
Distress Inkpads in Broken China and Fired Brick
Ali says.........
On this LO I used the chipboard shapes – both positives and negatives – to create my own background as well as using them as embellishments. 
To create the background I used the chipboard shapes as masks/templates, moving them around the page and dabbing Distress Ink over/through them.
TIP: When using a negative shape as a template (e.g. the round chipboard shape from which I had removed the flower shape) I didn’t want the ink to go over the edges of the shape so I used a piece of scrap paper and cut a circle in it slightly smaller than the chipboard circle and laid the shape over the circle in order to ink through it.

I then decorated the chipboard shapes either by inking them with Distress Inks or covering them with patterned paper and inking the edges with Distress Inks. I added buttons as centres for the flower shapes.

I matted the photo and a piece of the brightly patterned paper onto the blue and red sides of the patterned paper and arranged them over the inked background, layering in a journal spot cut from the Marrakech Fantasia paper. 
I arranged the chipboard embellishments across the bottom edge of the photo and added a title using Basic Grey alpha stickers and hand-written letters cut from an off-cut of the Marrakech paper.
Stunning yes? and there is MORE to come

Wednesday 12 October 2011

a brand NEW LOOK

Have you seen it? If not hop on over and have a look HERE you won't be disappointed. We also have some lovely new goodies here are a few of our hi-lights
While we are the subject of NEW we would also like to introduce our NEW Guest Designer - Ali - you can find here HERE  so come back for more laters - we leave you with a sneak.....

Monday 10 October 2011

Finally from Ruth

We have a card. Its always sad when we have shared all the projects from our designers. Still its also good to know a new designer is just around the corner......
Ruth used the gorgeous acetate from Heidi Swapp to make this clear card
 Look at how she has used the scrummy Prima lace to made a flower
and to make the paper flower look 
Cut the following shaped flowers with the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die, cut 2 of each

Cut slits into the medium sized flower.


Curl the petals of the flowers, I like to use the handles of a pair of scissors.
Alternate between the glittered and non glittered side of each pair of flowers, so that you have different sides facing - see picture
Assemble as shown below.
I used glue dots to adhere the flowers together and to the acetate.

We are sure you agree Ruth has done us proud. Pop back soon to see our newest Guest 
designer

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Frame it!!

So the weekend is long over - did you  have fun did you get loads of lovely new stuff. It was lovely to see you all - we do love to say HELLO :)
So today we have a FANTASTIC altered picture frame to share with you - made by the lovely Ruth.
Cut "Home Sweet Home" from  using the Tim Holtz Vintage Market die.

Ink the edges of the letters using Adirondak's Acrylic Paint Dauber in Snow Cap white.
Apply Acrylic paint directly to a plain wood frame.
Cut out various flowers, swirls, rectangle 4cm x 5cm, triangle for the roof, a door and window, a strip of paper using Martha Stewart Doily Lace. Ink the edges of the flowers.

Ink the edges of the house, roof window, door and doily strip with dauber.  Tie a bow onto a button and assemble house.

Take the back and the glass out of the frame, place the glass onto the backing paper and draw around it, cut it out.

Stick the letters to the backing paper TIP - use a toothpick to put the glue on and stick the middle letters of a word first and then the rest.

Stick the house, flowers and swirls to the frame, place the backing with Home Sweet Home into the frame replace the card and stand and close the clips.

Place somewhere in your home and enjoy!




Wednesday 21 September 2011

One of the BEST weekends of the year

is FAST approaching.........you know the FABULOUS weekend where scrappers and stores all get together at Ally Pally

We do hope we will see you there, we will be in our usual spot  STAND 24 


with the latest from Bo Bunny, Cosmo Cricket, Crate, Prima, Pink Paislee, Glitz, Echo Park, Tim Holtz, Sizzix, Websters Pages, Kaisercraft, Simple Stores and more.


We have also persuaded the FABULOUS Hannah to design a Kit for you - we are sure you will love it is GORGEOUS so come on over and have a look you will not be disappointed. The kit will be available to buy at Ally Pally and will be  on our web site after the event.


there are more photos on Hannah's personal blog

If you want to make the stunning flower Hannah tells us how



Folded Flower tutorial

Punch 8 circles (mine are 2.5cm diameter) from double sided cardstock. Ink the edges. NB: Punch 8, even though the image only shows 6
Fold in part of the circle as shown.
Now fold in the other side of the circle to meet it, creating a pointed end
Shape the petals by curving them around your finger.
Now punch a larger circle (mine is 1 3/8 inches). Cut a slit to the centre of the circle.
Overlap the slit, creating a shallow cone, and glue in position.
Glue the petals around the cone.
Finally attach a button to the centre
See you at Ally Pally