Let's Go To the Pub!

Good Morning All.  It's nearly Christmas so it's the perfect time of the year to visit your local hostelry!  Even if you don't drink, I have a great reason for going and that's beer mats!!

Todays Design Team project for Creative Expressions features beer mats that I "liberated" from a pub.

Here goes!
Cover 3 beer mats with Creative Expression Teresa Collins patterned paper.  Distress the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink. 
Paint the sides and backs with Eco Green Black Acrylic Paint.  Punch holes as shown.

Ink up a swirl from the Creative Expressions Mini Swirl stamp set with Black Archival Ink and use 2nd generation stamping on the beer mats.

Stamp the Christmas Rose and Snowdrop with Black Archival Ink onto Coconut White Cardstock and heat emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Embossing Powder.
Paint the flowers with Spun Sugar and Tattered Rose Distress Inks and the leaves with Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint.  Cut out and stick onto the beer mats with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.
Stamp the name of the flower under each one.
Stamp the sentiment and heat emboss as before.  Cut out and colour the card with the 2 shades of pink Distress Ink.
Matt and layer onto Foundations Black Cardstock.
Die cut the shapes from Spellbinder Fleur de Lis Accents dies and glue into place.

Colour some string to join the beer mats together and thread through the holes.
Stamp some 6 petal flowers from the Couture Creations 3 in 1 set onto Teresa Collins Paper.  Cut out and distress the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink.
Make up into 3d flowers and glue into place to finish.

So, off you go to the pub!  I hope you've enjoyed this project.  There are so many tutorials on 3d flowers that I haven't included one here.  I know that Sue Wilson has a fantastic one on her "Particraft" blog (there's a link on the right).  Until next time, keep an eye on the Creative Expressions blog and don't forget Fun Friday on the Creative Expressions Facebook page (there are prizes!)
Many thanks for visiting and leaving comments.

Long Lost Friend!

Good Morning All!

Do you ever go through your craft stash and realise that you've got a product that was loved then pushed to one side?  I recently tidied up (a miracle I know!) and found my fusible fibres.  Well, I couldn't let an opportunity to use them again go by so, here they are in this weeks Creative Expressions Design Team piece.

Ink up the Christmas Rose from the Winter Flower Stamp Set with Black Archival Ink.
Place some Cosmic Shimmer Heat Bondable Angel Fibres in Enchanted Metallics over the top of the stamp.
Cover over with a piece of vellum (or baking parchment) and press down with an iron.  Don't be tempted to move the iron around too much, just lift it and press down again.  When the fibres have fused you'll be able to see the ink outline of the stamp.

Cut out the flower head.
Stamp the Christmas Rose again onto Coconut White cardstock with Black Archival Ink and heat emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Powder.  Paint the leaves and stem with Cosmic Shimmer Watercolours in Holly Leaf and Autumn Twist. 

Die cut the Flower using Spellbinders Labels 28.  Glue the Bondable Film Flower into place with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.
Die cut a matt.
Using the Creative Expressions A4 Tapestry Folder, emboss a piece of Coconut White Cardstock.   Apply Patina Gilding Wax around the edges.

Matt and layer then glue the Flower element into place.
Tie a knot into a piece of tulle to make a "faux bow" then tie a double bow using the crushed satin ribbon.
Glue onto the card and add a Silver Dazzler to the centre of the bow to finish.

So get searching out all of your hidden treasures!  You'll be surprised what you find!
Many thanks for your visit and comments and until next time...keep crafting!

WOYWW

Another Wednesday, another WOYWW! Hope everyone is well and the Christmas Card preparation is in full swing!

Here's my desk this week.

I'm working on a Design Team project for Creative Expressions using some beer mats that I "liberated" from a pub a while ago!  There's an empty cup, lots of Distress Inks, the Winter Flowers stamp set and of course, my trusty paper trimmer.  In answer to a question a few weeks ago, there are 4 bone folders in the tub (I don't know why there's that many!).

I have been making Christmas cards and I've got a very quick and easy one on the Creative Studios Design Team Blog today (the link is Sam Poole on the right).  The full step by step is there but here's the finished thing.

And the final picture is.....the sweetest kitten in the world...fact!  It's Dr Gonzo!

He's laying on his favourite fleecy blanket and cuddling a knitted toy.  He loves having something to cuddle.  My daughter has just got Dr Gonzo a goldfish to watch swimming around and he's fascinated by it.  Well, the vet did say to try and stimulate him with interesting things!

I'm going away on my travels next week so although I won't be able to join in with WOYWW I'll still be blogging, hope you'll pop by for a visit.  We're down to the final 9 followers for the blog candy...if it happens while I'm away, I'll do the draw when I get back.

There's going to be a blog hop next week with all the Creative Expressions Design Team taking part and prizes on offer.  Have a look at the Creative Expressions website news (there's a link on the right) for details.  It's to celebrate the launch of a brand new product...watch C&C on about 15th/16th November.  There's lots of gorgeous samples that the team have made for the shows.

So, until next time, have a very happy week and many thanks for your visit.  I'll get round as many desks as I can before I go away. 

Loving the Winter Flowers!

Good Morning All, hope everyone is well and in fine fettle!

Today is my Creative Expressions Design Team blog day and I've used the gorgeous Winter Flowers A5 stamp set again.  I just can't stop playing with them!!

So here we go with a step by step.

Die cut a Spellbinders Labels8 from the Creative Expressions Double Sided Adhesive Sheets.  Remove one of the backing pieces and add 4 or 5 drops of Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink and the same amount of Sunset Orange.  Use the backing paper to smoosh the ink down onto the adhesive.

Apply Warm Sunrise Gilding Flakes over the top of the ink.

 

Turn it over and remove the other piece of backing paper.  Stamp the Snowdrop with Black Archival Ink directly onto the adhesive sheet.  Colour in the flowers with Alcohol Ink Pens.  Cover with Micro Beads.  Matt and layer onto a white

 

 

 

Labels 8 die cut.  Edge with gold pen.

 

Draw around the outside edge of the same die onto Creative Expressions Dark Roast Coffee Foundations Cardstock and cut out.  Matt and layer.

 

Dry emboss a piece of Coconut White Cardstock with the M-Bossabilities Dainty Dots Folder.  Cut a strip of white card for the side panel and emboss again.  Matt and layer onto the coffee card.

 

Using the same technique as before, make a strip of the double sided adhesive with Gilding Flakes and Micro Beads.

Matt and layer.

 

 

 

Mount the snowdrop panel onto the card with 3d foam pads.  Tie a bow with Rust Satin Ribbon.  Colour a Silver Dazzler and 2 Pearl Stick Pins with Alcohol Ink Pens and attach to the card. 

 

I've also added a little bit of a gold chain I had in my stash.

 







 

This is another one of those times I wish you could see it for real instead of a photo!  The shine on the card is fab!  I was surprised how well the Alcohol Inks worked and that the Gilding Flakes still stuck.

 

Well, that's all for today, back tomorrow with WOYWW and a Christmas Card for Creative Studios.

 

Don't forget the blog candy, just 9 more to go!  Do have a look at the Creative Expressions Website, there's a link to the Design Team Blogs on the right.

Many thanks for your visit and comments.