My Dylusional Journey continues ....

As yesterday was a stay-at-home day with the tradies busy outside on the driveway, what better way to spend some time then getting inky again with Dylusions inks and stencils etc.

After my first attempt looked a bit 'muddy' with too many colours together (although the second page was better), this time I spritzed with more water and the colours ran and blended beautifully.  It was such fun and I was really happy with how the next double page turned out.

The stamps are all Dylusions with added splashes of colour on leaves, birds and plants using undiluted inks 'painted' directly onto the images.  I love that you can use the negative of the stencils for a nice subtle difference on the opposite page.

Next I went pink and purple with just a touch of yellow and added the border stamps.  Because the pages in this book are only 6" x 6" the full image of this fascinating girl was just too tall, so I re-stamped her body on an extra inked up piece of card, cut it out and glued it back into place with a different pair of legs.  Next I added a border of flowers, the words and wings and although I was happy with it, it was missing something ...... so I added the legs that I'd cut off the girl's body and they filled the gap under the words.  I think it still needs a little something else but until I work out what, the page shall remain as you see it.  

The last thing I added on this page turned out to be a bit of a surprise - I outlined the flowers with a Distress marker "picket fence" and as it dries it leaves a white ghosty look behind.  So I gave the words and wings just a touch as well - and learned something new at the same time!

Thanks for visiting and leaving your thoughts, it's always a bit of a "buzz" reading comments.

Happy crafting!

Thank You cards

It's a stay-at-home day today.  We have needed a new driveway for ages and now that we have three cars and there is always 'the great car shuffle'  happening, today is the day.  Yes, the bobcat is in, the old carport is no more, as are the overgrown shrubs and soon the old concrete will be gone as well.  I've saved a few plants to replant elsewhere and a couple of tree ferns have been saved as well - not sure where they'll go but will need new homes fairly soon.  I'll show you some before and after photos when it's all finished.

So, today I thought I'd show you what I've been doing this week.  Time is marching on and I thought I really should get the 'Thank You' cards in the mail from all the notes of condolence that were sent following both my father-in-law and then my dad passing away.  

In total I've made about 90 cards, mostly with the design above (SU "Love & Sympathy", word from "Fresh Cuts") using SU confetti white cardstock (discontinued) and coloured with brush markers.   A few of the cards have a different flower stem as there are a small number of people who overlap and they will receive two thank yous, probably not necessary but it felt the right thing to do.

All that's left to do is get a couple of addresses from my mother-in-law, buy some postage stamps and then in the mail they will be.
 
Very shortly my DS#3 is off with a few friends to go camping/caving for three days.  He's all packed ready to go and is just waiting to be picked up - it's going to be a quiet house for the rest of the day.

Happy crafting!

My Dylusional Journey Begins ......

I finally got there - I finally got to play with my Dylusions ink and stencils and such, and oh boy, it was great fun!  Hooked with the first spray ...... hmmmm sounds a bit weird but I can see this being quite addictive.  Now I understand what all the fuss is about.   I'm really hoping Dyan Reaveley would like to visit Sydney next year, 'cause I think doing one of her classes would be a real hoot treat.

So, this is my first ever page using Dylusion Ink Sprays ......

....... now I know it's not perfect, but hey, you've got to start somewhere.  The border stencil definately needs work as it looks rather blobby (or maybe that was the look I was after?).  The stamps are from Stampotique "Karin" and "Kitty".  I used these first up as they fit the page which is only 6" x 6", really a bit small but there was a blank book sitting in my stash un-used so I thought I'd give it a go.

 This is the opposite page using the negative of the border stencil, which looks a bit strange as it is so straight running down the side, but with the spiral binding in the centre, it was hard to get closer.  I'll have to work on that and come up with a better solution.  The word stamp is from Tim Holtz and the flower border from Dylusions.

On a roll now, I flipped a few pages and played with different colours and came up with my second double page ........

The odd green thing in the centre is a tree stencil, the black cogs and clock stamps are from SU "Clockworks"  with the leaves on the side from "French Foliage" and coloured with Distress Markers.

I love how the colours have splattered and blended randomly on this page.

I know it's going to be a fun journey playing with these inks, no two pages are ever going to be the same and I suspect there's no right or wrong way of how they turn out - just practice.  Oh, and I must remember to wear gloves when inking if I'm going out later, green fingers looked a wee bit 'grinch-like' and much as I used my craft scrubbie, my fingers were still coloured when I got home from "School Spectacular" at the Entertainment Centre hours later.

Happy crafting!

Origami Box

Just a quick post today to show you a great little origami box made from a 12" x 12" piece of designer paper.  I came across it when reading one of my favourite blogs and you can find all the instructions for it here.  The first time I tried making it I got stuck half way and had to go and watch the instructions again, but the second time was easy peasy!

This is my first attempt, including lid, made from SU "Candlelight Christmas" with a SU vintage brad which I've raised up on two pop dots.

I really like the contast this paper gives, one side red, the other chocolate.

This box is made from discontinued SU "Christmas Cocoa", but in this instance the contrast is not great and as yet there isn't a lid to pop on top.

These boxes would be great to use as a gift box (mmmm ...... chocolates?) or some little trinket and if you made them in different sizes they might even 'nest' together.

Happy crafting!

Luminaria

Last year I gave each of my Mother's Group girls one of these Lumiarias for Christmas, along with a couple of my other close friends.  The girls don't normally give each other any gifts, but sometimes I think it's nice to give each a "token gift" in appreciation of the 23 years of friendship.  We all met at the Baby Health Clinic when our first borns were only a few months old and even after all these years, we still try to meet on a fortnightly basis.  Next weekend we are all getting together (including the husbands) for an early Christmas dinner, and on the first weekend in December, we will all be together again to celebrate the wedding of one of the children (she is 23!).   This will be the 2nd wedding our group will have celebrated together.  Between us we have 17 children, so I can see there will be more weddings to come further down the track.

Anyway ...... back to the Luminaria.  Tomorrow at Alice in Paperland I am teaching some ladies how to make these little lamps which are lit with battery operated tealights.   Of course you wouldn't want to use regular tealights as there could be a disaster just waiting to happen - paper and flame just don't go well together.

For this luminaria, I have chosen to use some shimmer cardstock, vellum and silver snowflake stickers for decoration.   I have coloured the insides of the snowflakes with a brush marker (coloured from the back for a soft look) and the windows have been cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels Eighteen.

From above you can see the tealight sitting in the base which is made from a piece of leftover cardstock with all four sides folded 1/4" and a 1 3/8" circle punched in the centre.  This stops the tealight from moving around inside when it is being moved.

I'm sure the ladies will all have an enjoyable morning tomorrow.  I know when I am crafting with others I always have a good time.

Happy crafting!

Christmas Cheer

There is  a group of older folk at our church who meet the first Wednesday each month and go along to the "Friendship Service".  It is primarily set up for the older members of our congregation who are no longer able to attend normal Sunday services, so they are picked up from their homes and are able to join in a service, morning tea and a chat before being driven home again. 

When December comes around, they are treated to a lovely Christmas lunch followed by some entertainment.  The ladies who organise this lunch also make sure there is a little 'something' at each table setting, nothing big, just a token gift of some sort.  I started helping to make these gifts a few years back starting with a lovely bauble, followed by a little 'purse' filled with Smarties; and this year we are making each person a 'Tea for Two' (see previous post) and an M & M treat, made from SU cellophane bags (2.5cm x 20cm).  You can find these on page 161 of the Australian catalogue.

I was having a bit of a test to see what lollies would be best to fill these bags, as they are quite narrow, so the one on the left has a variety of M & M's, the middle one has little mints, and the right one has Jaffas.  The one in the middle was made by one of the girls on StampCamp in August, and I thought it would be just right for the Friendship Service folk.  Unfortunately I don't know where the mints where purchased from, so instead we are going to fill them with M & M's which are lovely and colourful.  Jaffas fit, but only just.

Instead of ribbon and a bow, I'm adding a topper to each bag, using the holly from SU Christmas Classics  and words from SU (not sure), both now discontinued, and coloured with markers.  The toppers are punched from the scallop and 1 3/8" punches, and finished off with a ribbon bow.

Anyway, must finish now as I need to collect my bits & pieces and head off to my friend's home to spend the morning making our 'goodies' for the Friendship folk.

Happy crafting!

Twisted Card

Hmmm, it's been a busy time here lately, you know, just ordinary everyday stuff that suddenly feels like there are mountains to climb over ......... anyhow, somehow not too much crafting has managed to get done but I'm hoping that will change shortly, and that this weekend should shoo lost mojo away.

From Friday to Sunday the annual Papercraft Show is on again at Penrith Panthers with lots of stalls to browse and of course, spend money (not too much I hope).  There will be demos to watch,  make and takes, and lots more ideas to gleen.  Alice in Paperland has been setting up the stall this afternoon, with demos each day.  I'm doing a demo on Sunday and thought I'd stick with the folding ideas I demo'd at Miranda last week, as they were quite popular.  So if you have nothing to do this weekend, head to Penrith for your 'crafting fix'.

I found this "Twisted Card" while browsing a forum on Splitcoaststampers recently and thought it looked interesting but easy  ...... and it is!  It has two pockets, one on the front and one inside, just the thing for a tag or gift voucher. 

The paper used is Kaisercraft "Twig & Berry" collection, SU cardstock, stamp is from Stamp-It that I've had for ages and ink pad was Tim Holtz Distressed "peeled paint".

The inside looks very much like the outside, just right for slipping in a gift voucher or even some money.

I tried this card using cardstock and while it worked well, I think it looks better using double-sided patterned paper.  All you need is some A5 paper/card, score diagonally from top right to bottom left, fold up bottom right corner (which will form two peaks), score from fold line to dip between peaks, fold in half and it's done, easy peasy!

Have a crafty day!