Black Fingers ....

Hi Everybody,

In several videos lately I have had to apologise for black fingers, and this is why they where black.

I have been creating some painted bottles and the base layer was black paint and it would not wash off.

It was just an ordinary matt black wall paint that I used and it as not expensive.

I made some of these for my daughter as she really loved the look of them and three of them now sit on her shelves in her lounge.

I get my unusual shaped empty bottle from my grandsons restaurant  and then once they are washed and any label soaked off them I start.

I cover them with items of old clothing and glue and leave them to dry. So these are covered in old tights that is ruched around the bottle in random areas

Then I add the bits and pieces to them, anything I have in my stash, and once the glue is dry again I paint them black all over.

These have pearls, keys, gemstones, glass pebbles and metal pieces all stuck in place

Then comes the fun part and I have used

  Arteza Metallic Acrylic Paint 

and a dry brush to add the iridescent look

This is my favourite one and I have kept this one for myself.

I used a mould to create the faces for this and surrounded them with flowers.

It has been painted in Arteza Metallic Pearl Green,

Pearl Electric Blue, Pearl White for the highlights and Gold to catch the tops of the beads

The flowers have been skimmed with Pearl Royal Purple and a little glitter and then I dotted gemstones around the bottle.

They look super effective and are an inexpensive way to decorate your home and recycle at the same time.

If you would like me to do some videos of some of my new projects then let me know.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Gluey fingers...

Hi Everybody,

I have done some videos lately and my hands look dreadful in them.  I have explained that my fingers have black paint and glue on them and it is very stubborn when I try to get it off.

 I have promised to show you why they have been in this state but it will be mostly after Christmas as I have been making my own gifts this year.

Some of the things I have already shown you, in the form of my wall art with mirrors, spoons and plates, and you can scroll back if you wanted another look at them 

But this vase is one of the things I have done, not for anyone but me and it is made from cardboard, paper mache and silver paint. 

Then I added mirror tiles to it. So I hope you like it

It is really glitzy and I love it and it is in my guest bedroom.

It's quite big but because it is cardboard it can't be used for real flowers.

Artificial flowers don't bother me as I think they look really pretty and so that is what this one will be having added to it.

Though I must say it looks good enough with nothing in it.

So there you have it from all angles and it may not be up your street but it is certainly an eye catcher especially when the sun shines in through the window

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Another Artistic piece

Hi Everybody,

Thank you for the comments you are leaving about my little artsy pieces and I am enjoying making them, and I am happy that you seem to like them too.

Here is another, this time with gold spoons, flower mesh and a round mirror and of course the string lights behind to add the shine.

The spoons have been added in a different pattern this time and that is part of the fun of designing them to see what I can come up with.

They are very light to hang on the wall and they can go virtually anywhere.

 Each piece is more to be used as wall art rather than a usable mirror but I really like them. 

I am going to try my hand altering glass ware too and I will show you what I create with the junk shop pieces that I buy,

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Altered Box - Stage 2

Hi Everybody,

Last week I told you about a box that I have found in my garage

I sanded it all down and added in a coat of Gesso and that completed Stage One

I have now moved on to the next stage.

For this I have coated it all in Deep Teal acrylic paint and allowed it to dry.

My plan was to give it another coat but as it dried it was all streaky and it looked amazing and so I decided to leave it as it was.

Once the paint was completely dry I took some Gilding wax in Pewter and with a soft cloth I rubbed it into the grain of the wood

I wanted to maintain the streaky look and so I add the wax in long strokes to both the inside and out

I buffed all the wax up to a soft gleam with a cloth and once the light catches it it looks lovely and I am very happy with it so far 

I still don't know what I will use it for yet but I am enjoying the process.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Altered Box - Stage One

Hi Everybody,

After clearing out the garage and getting rid of garbage I found this box tucked away at the back of a shelf.

It just called out to me ... "Don't throw me away ..." and so I brought it inside.

 It was really dirty but I knew that I wanted to do something with.

At this precise moment I don't know what I am going to do with it but I have the old brain whirring around with ideas

The first thing I have done with it is clean all the dust and cobwebs off and it is looking so much better already

I have sanded it all down to a nice smooth finish both outside and inside and then got rid of all the dust

I decided to add a coat of White Gesso to it all as a base for any other colour that I wanted to add but that is as far as I have got with it so far

It really is quite a sturdy box and once I get some ideas going for it I will get to work and show you bit by bit what I have done to it.

So watch this space

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pretty Gift ...

Hi Everybody,

This gift started life as a really inexpensive ring bound notebook

It is ideal to be kept by the side of the phone for any messages you may need to take

I opened the ring binder very carefully and decorated it with some really pretty paper.

And what's more there is a video tutorial ... that was done some years ago by me ...  to show you the process.

I have used Spellbinders on mine simply because I have them but you  can use punched shapes or hand cut ones to create this look ... Altered Notebook

The die I used is the  A2 Floral Ribbon Threader  and added pink ribbon to the slots

The flowers are from  Wild Orchid Crafts  along with the dazzler on the bow

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pringle Tub ...

Hi Everybody,

As promised earlier this week here is the tutorial to alter those Pringles tubs you have all been collecting

This is the one I made for Isabella and I filled it with chocolate coins for her ... and she loved it.

So here are the instructions for the
Altered Art Treasure Box

In the video I decided to go for a different color scheme and decided on Lilac.

And I lined the box too for an extra special touch.

You may notice some differences between the finished box in the video and the one pictured here.

That is because I couldn't leave things alone and had to add in more finishing touches before I was happy.

So now it is time for you to get out all those tubs you have been saving and start making them really pretty.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts

I have added the video to a  page on my website ...  Card Making Magic so you will need to click the link at the top of the page to view the tutorial

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Those Crisp Tubs Again ...

Hi Everybody,

Have you had those delicious crisps again this year and have you thrown away all the empty tubs ???

Oh No you are going to be so sorry about that when you see what I have done with one.

And you can do it too ....  aaaaand if you give me a little time I will do a tutorial on how I did it !!

Over Christmas Day I promised Isabella a little treasure box for her bedroom.

I asked her if she would let me have the tub once she had eaten all the crisps in it and I would dress it with flowers for her.

She very willingly ate what was left of the crisps and gave me the tub and although I had made a start on it I hadn't finished it.

So when I went to see her yesterday she asked me ... "Have you got my crispie box with flowers ??

Oh my ... How a three year old can make you feel so guilty !!

So today I have finished it off and I will take it for her the next time I see her.

I have lined it with white felt and dressed it with flowers, ribbons and pearls

It is quite sturdy but obviously it is not a toy and she can add some little trinkets that she calls her treasure.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Winter Dress Form ...

Hi Everybody,

Over the weekend I have been busy creating this beautiful dress form in satin and lace.

And although it didn't start out as wedding dress Griff says it would be a lovely gift for a winter Bride

I gave the dress form two coats of flesh colored paint and allowed each coat to dry

Once dry I wrapped the whole dress from in cling film and created a separate bodice for it from paper mache and gauze to stiffen it.

I did two layers,  allowing each layer to dry thoroughly,  and then I cut it up the back with sharp scissors  and removed it from the dress form and took away the cling film.

I carefully shaped the top and trimmed the bottom of the bodice to make a lovely shape and then covered it in  ribbon and lace .. and trimmed it as needed

The back of the dress was laced together with thinner ribbon where it had been cut off the dress from.

It took me all day to add in layers of the tulle, lace and ribbons

I carefully placed tiny gemstones from Want2Scrap   along each length of the ribbon  and I cut them into fish tails

The tiny white roses are from  Wild Orchid Crafts  as are the pearl and diamanté gemstones on the bows.

It really is much prettier in real life and the question is ... who do I give it to?

Maybe Isabella my Great Granddaughter would love it.  I am going to watch her sing Carols at her nursery school today.

I can imagine the teacher saying "Come on Isabella ... sing"   and she will reply "In a minute ..."

Three year olds can be such fun

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Altered Art ...

Hi Everybody,

A few years ago now I did a tutorial on how to alter a cheap notebook and make it some thing special

With Christmas on the way this is another project that would make a pretty gift

It and can be filled with all sorts of stuff by the recipient ... address book, To Do lists etc.

The example shows a notebook altered with Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms  and the video tutorial will show you the steps

I have added in some flourishes from Want2Scrap and some toning ribbon

But if you prefer to work without dies then  click this link  ... Altered Notebook  ... and have a go

It's not hard to do and you will have some lovely results with any pretty papers that you may have in your one personal "Stash"

But choose the booklet carefully as it needs to be the right kind of spiral along the spine for you to open up and be able to remove the covers

Don't forget to add your name to the  Give Away  for this month and be in with a chance to win some wonderful new Spellbinders

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Altered Art ...

Hi Everybody,

As we all know Christmas is on the way and if you are like me then you will be buying the little lovelies in a round tub.

I am sure that you all know what I mean and I find I develop a real addiction to Pringles every year.

So what do you do with the tubes when you have eaten them all ???? Throw them away ???

Oh not this year ... keep them and decorate them as storage for lots of different items.






The video tutorial is easy to follow and you will love these once they are completed ... after you have enjoyed the contents of course !!!

I have added Wild Orchid Flowers   to mine  along with some glitter to make them sparkle.

And all the pearl flourishes are from Want2Srap   You can use any Spellbinders that you have in your crafting "Stash"  just have some fun as you make these for your self and your friends

More tomorrow ...

Hugxx

Beautiful Ribbons ...

Hi Everybody,

As you know I love to add flowers, ribbons and pearls to my cards.  For me they really turn the card into something special.

This is a card I added a few days ago and I listed the dies used then ...  but the reason I am adding it again is because it was the one featured in a video tutorial.

It shows you how to change the color of ribbons and flowers to suit your design and it doesn't cost the earth to do it.

It also works on lace and pearls too.

All you need is an alcohol refill of your choice and a small spritzer bottle.

The  Isopropyl Alcohol is from the chemist shop and it cost me £11 but the bottle will last for ages and color many hundreds of items for me to add them to my cards





You may need to order it ... as I did ... but the chemist had it there the same day for me to collect.

The organza and satin ribbons that I use are from  Mei Flower   and just a plain white and I used Spectrum Noir refill  PP3 to change them into a beautiful delicate shade of pink.

So by making use of your refills you can always have ribbons to match your designs ... and it is always cheaper to buy white flowers, ribbons or lace and color them your self.

And if you don't have the refills then this  tip was left on YouTube and is an excellent alternative ...

 Tip from Sheila Hogg
If you don't have any re inkers, the inner of an old felt tip pen that no longer works can be used instead as there will be plenty of pigment to mix with the isopropyl. Use a pair of pliers to pull out the pen tip and crack the casing, pull out the tube inside and with the tip add to the isopropyl in the spray bottle and presto you have your own alcohol ink. Just top up with more isopropyl when needed, it will still yield more pigment.

Have you added your name to the "Give Away" yet ??  If not the click the link for your chance to win the prize on offer  ... here's the link  but you will need to be a follower and please leave me a comment to say you have been.


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

The Origami Box Tutorials ...

Hi Everybody,

Last Christmas I added  the tutorials  for this decorated box and it was very well received.

 It is quite a big box if you make it from 12" Square card  and last year I filled mine with bathroom goodies  like soaps and bath salts and my family loved them.

Because the video was long I did it in two parts.

I completed the base in one and then made the top to fit the base in the next stage.

I used a study double sided card and then added all the pearls and flowers to make them pretty to give.



So here  are both parts of the tutorial  and I hope you will have a go at making them for your self and I hope you will enjoy them

More tomorrow ...

Jewel Box Saga ... Finished

Hi Everybody,

Here is the finished Jewel Box and I am so pleased with the result. It is going to go on the dressing table in my guest room and I will look at it and think ... "I did that..."

Click to Enlarge

And for those of you who have thrown similar boxes away ... shame on you.!!!   

You'll be going to car boots in the summer now looking for another ... I know I will.

This is what I have done to finish my box ...

Once the varnish was dry I put it all back together so that I could see where I wanted to add my embellishments

You can see that the interior has been stained a beautiful shade of blue and I have added white lace to the sides of the doors and the drawers.

I have put back all the original hinges,  knobs and handles and only replaced the broken hinges to the lid.

On the lid I stamped the same swirl and then added silver Gilding Flakes.

The Corsage on the right consists of Spellbinders Foliage leaves and a mixture of flowers from

 Wild Orchid Crafts

The large butterfly is a Marianne Creatables and I have added a Diamante strip to the body and for the butterfly trail

This is the right hand side of the jewel box and I have used Spellbinders Les Papillion butterflies and done the same thing to each of them.

Around the edge of each door, along the top of the lid and along the bottom edge I have added in some matching blue trim.

I added it under the door fastenings to make it look neater. 

 The left side has been treated the same way ... and using Diamante for the trails.

The braided trim can be seen clearly around the edges.

I found the little navy blue tassel in my "Stash"  and couldn't resist hanging it from the top knob.

On the drawer fronts I have added in a large  Diamante Frilly Flourish from Want2Scrap

I simply stuck it in place and then used a craft knife to separate the gemstones so that the drawers would open.  

That way the pattern stays in line and all I needed to do was tidy up any tiny gaps.

It looks much better in real life.

 Although a photo is a brilliant concept it can never portray the real beauty of something.

I don't mean to sound conceited but I really am proud of this little work of art.

So there is the finished Jewel Box.

And for the lady on YouTube ... who left me the comment saying that she thinks  I add too much "Bling" to my designs ...Well look away now 'coz this is serious overload ...

It will surely offend her sense of keeping it simple ... but I love it !

 And not to leave the back plain I have also decorated that too.

I have cut some trellis and a butterfly and added them along with some leaves and flowers into the recessed panel that was at the back.

The braided trim can be seen along the back panels too.

And to go a step further I have even glittered up all the flowers with Glamour Dust.

Thank you for your interest in this project and for leaving me your comments ... it is much appreciated.

Got to find another jewel box now and start again ... and although I didn't film this one ...  I promise I will for the next .... soreeeeeee !!

Hugs xx

Jewel Box Saga ...Pt 4

Hi Everybody,

In the last stage I added all the patterns that I wanted on my jewel box and left it to dry.

Although not shown in the photo I have repeated the process on the two side doors and the lid.

Today I have been back to it and given everything a coat of clear satin finish varnish  and then left it to dry again.

That will protect everything from some wear and tear.

Tomorrow I will put it all back together and add all the "Bling" that I want to add.

So while I am waiting for it to dry I have been busy making some butterflies from flower petals, lace and beads.

They are about 7cms long but they are much prettier in real life than they look on the photo.

I can add these to cards or any project where a butterfly is needed.

This one has white feather added to the back of it and one small rosebud in the centre.

I have curled the antennae from some silver wire, and cut up a small piece of lace that I had in my stash.

It is a good way to use up all your odds and ends and here is a tutorial on how I got the look.

Making Butterflies  is the written instructions but I will have a video out soon.

Click to Enlarge all the photos

This one has the addition of a little sparkle to the wings and i think they look very pretty.

More on the jewel box saga tomorrow.

Hugs xx

Another Altered Art Project

Hi Everybody,

This is another Altered Art project and this is for my daughter ...(the one throwing away the jewel box ... how could she???)

Click to Enlarge the photos

She has an empty box that had some hair straighteners in it and because it was quite a large  she wants it  for storage in her bedroom.

This is what I have done to it and I hope she will like it when she gets it back.

I have kept it pink as the box itself  was in good condition.

But I have got the Spellbinders to work on the top of it in several layers.

The Spellbinders used will be  BOLD so that you will know what has been used.

. 

I have added a base of Snow White Centura Pearl from Crafters Companion  to the lid.

I cut it with a fancy edge to be just a little smaller than the pink lid ... so that  it leaves a narrow border.

Then I have cut two of the Romantic Ovals in a matching pink card and laid them to cover the top.

I cut the Second smallest of the Grand  Decorative Ovals  in  the white and added it with foam pads.

Then a layer of  a plain oval in pink with the largest die from the Floral Ovals layered on top of that.

The Fancy Tags 3 has been cut in pink and white and layered to give a shadow effect and then the matching Pearls from Want2Scrap  are added.

I have used some beautiful pink flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts  and added Glamour Dust to the petals for extra sparkle.

The Decorative Hatpin  and the pins are from the Sparkles Group and if you add in the code CGDIS5  you will get an automatic discount at the checkout.

On the right hand side I have made a butterfly and used some more pearls to create the butterfly trail.

Small pearls have been added to the corners  and I think that this is a very pretty  addition to any bodies dressing table.

Hugs xx

Jewel Box Saga ... Pt 3

Hi Everybody,

Well this time the Give Away went off with out a hitch and both winners have claimed their prizes.  I am so pleased and I hope you will let us know how you find them .... honestly ... before we start to sell them

As for the Jewel Box ... well here we are with an update on it's progress.

So  far it has had two coats of white Acrylic inside and out and it looks much better.

The inner lining is a plush kind of material and so I followed Colleens'  advice and sprayed the material with some fabric paint.  (Thank you)

It's not perfect but it is better than the stained and faded beige that it was before.

It is a lovely rich blue and then once it was dry I glued some white lace around the edges.

I used the same technique that I used for the Miniature Dress Form  with the stamps and tissues and the video will show you how I got the look.


To make sure that I got the Flourishes pattern to position correctly I held the three loose drawers together with an elastic band.

I applied the "Slap It On" and  laid the tissue on top and pressed it in shape around the curves to the drawers.

Don't try to cut the tissue while it is wet ... leave it to dry and then with your craft knife carefully run it between the drawers to separate them.

I did the  same to the rest of the jewel box, back and front using the  Bubbles stamp  from  IndigoBlu

Then it time to step back and let it all dry before going any further.


Hope you like it so far ....

Hugs xx

Jewel Box Saga ...Pt 2

Hi Everybody,

How are you getting on with sand papering your jewel boxes ???

I did most of mine by hand and then I remembered that years ago I bought one of those Black & Decker Mouse sanders and so off I went to search it.

I found it lurking away at the back of my cupboard and hastily dragged it out and dusted it off... and it worked beautifully.

Luckily there were some fine grade sand papers still in the box and  I set too and sanded the rest of the box with my Mouse

So now that I have it all stripped down and sanded the next thing to do was give it all a coat of paint inside and outside.

The first coat of white Acrylic paint looks awful and streaky ...  but don't be put off. Let it dry thoroughly and we will come back to it tomorrow.

In the meantime here is another card to tempt you with the Grand Decorative Ovals again.

this one is done in Orange and  Peachy colours and it is not one of my favorite colour schemes.

This is the Grand Decorative Ovals Card 3  and it is made in a somewhat different way.  Click the link for the video tutorial

The gorgeous  flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts



The beautiful "Bling" is from Want2Scrap  for the finishing touch around the ovals.

Hope you enjoy the video ...

The Blenders are still on offer and if you want to add your name click here

Hugs xx