"Bingo" Wall Plaque/Hanging - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, wherever has the sun gone?  Sadly, the rain has returned over the last few days here.  Another fortnight has gone by, and it's time for a new theme at the Craft-Room Challenge.  This fortnight, it's Mervi's turn to host the challenge and she would like to see us playing:

Bingo

As tempted as I was to use brown, lace and pearls, I decided to go with blue, rubber stamping and butterflies - I don't use either blue or butterflies very often so I though it would be a bit of a change for me.  Having very recently acquired some left over mdf from the builders in work, who very kindly cut it into very neat, useable pieces for me :-), I decided to make a wall plaque/hanging:

An undercoat of white gesso, blue and cream chalk emulsion and a good few pieces of sandpaper created the shabby base.  I'm really pleased how this turned out.

I used stamps from TH/Stampers Anonymous (the smaller size Papillon - the butterflies were masked for the background stamp) and Stampin' Up for the sentiment and foliage on the corners.  All stamping was done in black archival ink and the sentiment was embossed in white.  I've used a TH word stick, a paper flower and some chain to embellish, and used a dark metallic rub on wax just along the edge.

The butterflies were very lightly coloured with Stampin' Up watercolour crayons in colours from the Regals collection (I love these crayons).

Our very kind sponsor this week is

who is offering the winner a Hollyhock stencil, a pot of Stencil Dimensions Glossy White Paste, and a paste spreader.

Please drop by the challenge as the rest of the Design Team have made stunning creations for your inspiration, including our Guest Designer this month, the lovely Von of Messy Me - if you would like to join us as a Guest Designer, please add GDT after your name and our lovely Mervi will be in touch with you soon.

I'd like to share my wall hanging with Stamping Sensations in their August challenge, as their theme is Winged Things And A Touch Of Vintage, and also Tok Bobok challenge, whose theme is Vintage.

Thank you for your visit, as always, and enjoy your week.

Maria xxxxx

Shades of Pink - Craft-Room Challenge DT

Hi, if you are here in the UK, you've probably had a lot of snow - here in Manchester we've not had it too bad, although my home town of Liverpool has had much, much more - I hope you're all well wrapped up and keeping warm and safe.

Another fortnight has passed by and it's time for a new theme over at the Craft-Room Challenge.  This time, Esther is our hostess and she has chosen the theme of:

Monochrome

which she has defined as

'the state or condition of being painted, decorated etc in shades of a single colour'

My creation is a box picture frame measuring approximately 6 " x 6", which I have made into a wall hanging (I'm sure you're very surprised at that, lol), in Shades of Pink and using Oxford Impressions stamps:

The frame was undercoated with Gesso, painted in chalk emulsion in Rose Pink, then overpainted with Camisole Pink.  I then sanded it all down so that a little of the Rose Pink showed through. A piece of untreated artist canvas was painted with the emulsions, then stamped in Rose Madder Archival Ink and attached to the recess of the frame with fabric glue.

The lace across the top of the frame, and the rose trim along the bottom of the recess, was dyed and dried then attached with a glue gun.  I stamped the dress form in Black Archival Ink onto another piece of painted canvas and cut out, attaching some net and lace to form a skirt and attached a pearl in the centre, then mounting it onto the canvas on sticky pads with a little hot glue.  A couple of rolled ribbon roses at the top, pink buttons, and "Feminine" (Clarity Stamps - thank you Julia!) stamped along the bottom, then a piece of ribbon to hang.

It was really difficult to get a good picture, but the first one is a good representation of the colours - the Camisole Pink emulsion is a pale, but very beautiful, shade..

This fortnight we are sponsored by:

 

who supply a unique range of chipboard designs that are both innovative and inspiring, as well as a fabulous range of masks. 

I hope you can join in with our challenge, but if you'd like a little inspiration first, then please check out the fabulous creations from the rest of the team.

Take care

Maria xxxxx

 

Show Us Your Bling at Let's Ink It Up

Hi, I hope you've all had a great week and are now enjoying your weekend.  A new challenge over at Let's Ink It Up has just been launched:

Show Us Your Bling 

You can use anything you consider to be your bling, such as rhinestones, jewels, pearls, glittery paint, etc, I decided to decorate and embellish an oval mdf plaque:

The plaque itself has been undercoated with 2 coats of Gesso, then I've painted it with chalky emulsion in Parlour Cream (I love this colour) three times, lightly sanding between each coat to give it a nice smooth finish.  I've used a crackle stamp (CI-116) here and there inked up with Antique Linen DI, and rolled for a very subtle effect (technique courtesy of Julia - thank you):

Close Up

The Lost Coast Labels have been stamped in black Archival Ink and coloured with Inktense Blocks, picking the ink up from the blocks with a small paintbrush for the details, and for the larger areas of the labels, I've tried to use the colour as a sort of wash, just to tint the area.

The top and bottom trims are from Dunelm Mill (the top one is metallic) and are attached with a glue gun - now, the last time I used a glue gun I spent £20 quid at the chemist on stuff for burns, so I only use this when absolutely necessary, lol - I'm very accident prone, having cracked my head open 3 times as a child, and nearly chopping my thumb off whilst trying to shell a coconut with a very long, sharp knife (again, as a child), but that's another story completely.  I've added a solid flower on each side, where the trims meet, and added a little stickles to them for a soft sparkle.  Some sheer gold ribbon has been threaded through, from which to hang.

We have a fabulous sponsor for our challenge this month:

The winner of the challenge will be drawn at random, so for one lucky person there will be a great prize of:

For inspiration, please check out the fantastic creations by the rest of the Design Team and remember, no digi images are permitted at LIIU.

I would like to enter my wall hanging into the following challenges:

The Stampman - "Show Us Your Favourite Technique" - one of my favourite techniques is to add
                           colour to my stamped images using water-based products, such as Inktense Blocks or
                           Distress Inks, and a fine paint brush.

The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge - "Use Paints".

Have fun, enjoy your weekend, and I look forward to seeing your bling creations.
Maria x

Show Us Your Flowers - LIIU DT Creation

Hi, if you saw my last post, you will know that I've recently been invited to join the Design Team over at Let's Ink It Up, which I'm really thrilled about - a big thank you to everyone who left lovely comments, I really appreciate you taking the time to drop by.  The theme for this month is "Show Us Your Flowers", and is sponsored by the lovely Suzanne herself:

 Your flowers can be handmade or shop bought, it's entirely up to you, but we'd love to see what you create. I don't tend to use flowers a lot, so a challenge for me as well!

Here is my creation - a little box to pop some Thorntons chocolates in for my mum on Mothers' Day:

A little wooden box has had 3 coats of chalk emulsion in Sung Blue (although it is actually a green colour), with a sanding between each coat and I've then sealed it with wood balsam.  I've added a TH bookplate with a "Love" ticket underneath and added some little flowers around the top.   The large yellow flower has been made with 6 tattered florals, die cut from yellow cotton, folded twice then attached in a circle with a brad through the middle.  I've stamped a SU design 3 times onto some Melissa Frances dp then cut out with an oval punch, distressed the edges slightly, and attached to the front and sides.

For the inside, I've lined the box with the same Melissa Frances dp and stamped a PaperArtsy sentiment (which I've split into two sections) directly onto the dp, then mounted onto some sanded Core'dinations paper.  I've attached a few lemon & cream roses to the top and bottom of the inside of the box, to tie in with the sentiment, to finish.  All I need now are the chocolates to go inside!

If you need some inspiration, please pop over and see the fabulous creations by the rest of the Design Team, and take a look at this month's prize:

Such stunning flowers.  I hope you can join in with the challenge, and I look forward to seeing your creations.  Good luck!

There are a few challenges that I'd like to enter my little gift box into:

Tando Creative Challenge - Spring Is In The Air
Cupcake Craftroom - Spring Bouquet
Joanna Sheen Challenge - Spring/Easter
Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Celebrate Your Mum (the box is for Mother's Day)
Anything Goes Challenge - Altered Projects

Have a great weekend!

Maria x