So I've started my Halloween costume...

Using some help from this page click here I used air dry modelling paste on a silicone mask. Hope it dries now, I must have picked the biggest workload of a costume this year! Starting the wig next, each piece seems so epically long but this mask was scaring me at the thought of doing it! The mouth looks huge in this photo but I think it's just the angle I was at!

Altered journal page- stars

Using my watercolour crayons I added some colours, I stuck mostly with blues 

Lesson 1- I learned I have to gesso my new sketch book because it does not hold up to rubbing wet paper but the gesso cured that!

Darkened the bottom of the page with black and purple distress ink 

Added some texture in the form of stamps with paint and a script in black dabbed randomly

I was inspired by Racho113 (I'll add a link later) on youtube and made these last month but didn't know what to do with them so thought this project was perfect

Sorry about this photo being sideways, I added the houses, added some extra bits like the muslin on the side and smoke drawn in with my new white marker (thanks Anne!)

Close up of some of the details, the thought of the words was putting me off because I didn't want to stamp it and didn't want to get the big shot out so wrote on back paper and drew around it, I really like the way it came out

First altered page in my new journal, and I can't wait to do more!

Altered canvas tutorial- Cherish

My handsome (if not a biased opinion) toddler after his surgery getting a bath, he was stinkie as he would say himself!

This was a cheapie canvas I bought today and I gessoed it fo prime it...funnily enough I did that in the car but that's another story! I gave it a layer of medium and shredded a 12x12 sheet (it was double sided) fitting them in like a jigsaw. 

While it was still wet I added a thin layer of gesso again, not covering completely but taking the colour out of it. I just want to add some texture to the canvas.

Then using a stencil I added medium paste in a few different areas, I LOVE this affect and it holds the colour so much more vivid than paper. You can stamp into it or use stencils but feel it's so versatile I would recommend it to anyone!

Using sprays I sprayed all over using a blue, green and black. I let dry and then finished it with the heat gun to make sure I could stamp on it. Using some TH background stamps I dabbled a little and added the word cherish which I covered in shimmer, then glossy accents. You can't see here but it's the more amazing cobalt blue/black colour.

I sprayed some binding and ruffled it along the edge of the photo, added an E embellishment and think that was enough. I finished the edges with a strip of wasabi tape as I call it. It's on my wall already and I love it!

An easy sturdy mini album

Excuse the lighting, I promise it will be better when my craft corner is installed....when...

What you will need:

Hoogie board (or something similar)

Scissors

Cardboard

Old coloured paper

ATG gun

bone folder

This took me about 40 minutes and should hold about 20 photos. I made it for a Christmas present so now just need to get the cardstock and cover it but the black makes a good background for it. Bad for tutorials but hey, you live and learn!

To make the cover:

2 pieces of corrugated cardboard (I used an old box) measuring 6 x7"

The inner piece measures 6 x 1 1/2"

Place two sheets of paper (I used a cheap A4 black paper pack) behind the cardboard, with the joining line running down the spine. To attach to the paper I ran a strip of tape down the middle of the join to keep the paper together. Cover all 3 pieces in glue and lay down, making sure there is a gap of about 1/2 " in between each piece like shown in the photo to make sure it can fold over. Cover the edges of the cardboard with glue and mitre the corners

To make sure you have enough room to bend the album, fold over before gluing down to see their is enough give in the cardboard.

Cut an A4 sheet in 1/2 and glue to the inside of the cover, ensuring you push the paper gently into the folds so the cover can open and close.

The finished album cover which can be adjusted to suit your needs and size.

This is the binding which measures 5 3/4"  and scored every 1 1/2".

You will need about 3 of these. When they are scored valley and mountain fold until you have a fan like shown in the photo.

This is all the pieces lined up, a tip I found useful was to use your bone folder on each fold and make it very flat.

When gluing the 3 pieces together I thought

 of it like putting the paper to bed, line it up so you know where the glue should go, attach glue to one side and to get it lined up straight put it on the side with no glue (left side on the photo) ensuring it is positioned correctly, put it to bed and fold the bend over like you are tucking it in. When you are finished you should have one continuous line of fanned paper.

Cut out about 10 pages of 5 3/4 x 6 3/4 " ( I don't get all these 3/4 measurements and my hoogie doesn't do 1/4's so I made it 1/2 instead) Attach one page to each left side of the valley fold, like in the photo.

To finish off the inside album I stuck each piece of the valley fold on the underside together so when it was finished it looks like a little book. Glue the first page to the front inside cover and the last page to the back inside cover and volia :)

Hope these instructions weren't too complicated and if you have any questions just ask me here!

Halloween tag-jibbery jabbery jaw

Oh Charles how you do crack me up :) A tag I made for a Halloween tag swap in lieu of waiting for my craft corner (which has been postponed until next week, I'm distraught :(  ) I stamped two Charles and cut out one of his jaws, adding little hinges to make his jaw move. Believe me when I say I played with this for at least an hour having a conversion that I thought he was a great listener.... it's been a long week.
Using the title from the Doors song, I added a glossy accented name badge to his bow tie (bow ties are cool don't you know). The background is actually awesome but Charles big head is covering it up, I used Dylusions stensils and distress inks. In each corner I pushed modelling paste through the stencil to give it extra texture, loved running my fingers over it!
Once I added the googley eyes I knew it was a keeper and I hope Ann enjoys her time with Charles as I did :)
I might do a tutorial for my next tag, be interesting for me to see what I actually do because I never remember!

My double Halloween tag

When I say double I mean it's twice the amount of fun, you might only pay for one seat but you will only use the edgeeeee (I'm reading that in a super trucks demo voice). Inspired by the amazing Shelly Hickox during my semi insomniac nights I saw it and knew I had to try it! 

Using a large sheet of watercolour paper I cut out a tag 9 X 17cm folded in half and then trimmed it into shape, cut back biscuits and fizzy drinks and made it a lean double tag. I embossed, painted, sprayed and tickled until I got the right colour combo (BTW how fricking gorgeous is my crackle embossing folder), G45 clocks just snipped out and a little bottle filled with glitter attached with a string and spit.

When it opens I covered the back piece with the Holiday pack from Mr Tim and added the on the edge die cut graveyard and tree for a lovely gothicy look.

Charles was stamped and placed on a folded piece of card that's a highly guarded secret but I'll tell you if you ask. The happy halloween is from the same stamp set and tags cut out of it. I officially love that skull... thinking how to incorporate it into Amy's wedding invites.
I won the autumn challenge from Crafting Ireland at GBCE at the weekend with this tag, so woooooo!

What's a smash book? I want one!

but I don't want to pay for one! So I made one, simples :)

Using a readers digest book I got from a charity shop but it stunk of smoke I took the pages out and used the cover. Reluctantly pulling out my bind it all (previous experiences have left me pulling out my hair and threatening to quit crafting) I decided to just use just one punch so I wouldn't have to line up the holes to repunch again, because I just don't do measuring!

Just one punch in the middle of the page, I cut pages so they were different sizes, lengths and added some envelopes too

I covered the inside of the book with some pretty paper

stuck the binded paper into the book and used a ribbon to hold it into place

I found a clever little tip to replicate calligraphy by writing the words in thin pen and with a thicker pen go over the lines that go down (try it out, it's easier than it sounds)

I added a pen pocket at the side of the paper and a piece of ric rak to hold the pen in, I'll probably use this for any crafty ideas, LO's I see or quotes. I have 3/4 books like this but maybe this one might inspire me to keep it order!

Bunting tutorial of sorts

I don't do tutorials because I don't do measurements or have never used a sowing machine until today so am I in no way in the know of how to use it, but I took photos as I made bunting for my sons room today. Here it goes:

 

 I cut large triangles out of lots of different materia, not equilateral nor straight in any way but I'm sure sowing in a straight line isn't hard....

REMEMBER: good side kiss together, I had to make kissing noises as I made all of them because d'ya know it's hard to rip machine sown things....pin them

 

Sow along the two long sides in a random pattern as you wish, it's homemade it doesn't have to be straight

Cut a piece out of the bottom triangle and put little slits in the side so it will flatten better when you turn it inside out (or so my mother told me... it didn't but I'm not questioning her)

Turn inside out and I used a chop stick to push the bottom point out, don't push too hard or your bunting will begin to resemble swizz cheese. A good iron to material is what cover up is to spots, covers alot of imperfections! So iron the bunting flat....I had to iron mine twice, I don't know if it was a case of the iron wasn't hot enough or I really made a mess of it!

I got some nice red bunting and ironed it in half, then I slowly sowed each piece into the middle of the bunting (who am I kidding, I had no control over my foot and it just flew through it and the machine ran out of red thread after the first one, so I ended up using brown, pink and blue thread...really need to get some machine thread not just the packs you get free in hotels)

Ta-da... I wasn't too impressed when they were finished but once I stuck it up in Eli's room they were perfect

Now... time to put the sowing machine away that took farrrr longer than expected!