Just a quick blog today as I've been busy working on workshop projects (can't share those with you just yet lol ) ...But did have some fun making my first ever altered mail slide so I thought I'd share it with you, all I can say is I will be making more :D



I also just wanted to thank all those of you who find time to visit & leave comments ..It's great to know I'm not talking to myself lol :D x Catch you soon x

Well it's time to do another mini project & seeing as I've had people ask how I've done the faux soldering, I thought I'd do a couple of Inchies & Twinchies to show you.
1. Put on the Melting Pot & add some Platinum Utee crystals (Utee stands for Ultra thick embossing enamel)


2. 2. Using a background I created in an earlier project (see the archives)I cut out a 2x2" square & 2 1x1" squares .. these are your backgrounds for your twinchies & Inchies.


3. First of all I'm going to add some small images to them. I am adhering them with Claudine Hellmuths Gel Medium (multi-medium matte) but you could use whatever you like. I often use PVA or mod Podge ...
I glue over the entire background, add the image & then glue over the top of that too.



4. You can if you like add some text, stamping or embellishments .. the picture below is of some I have done for the swaps.


5.Next we check that the UTEE has turned into it's liquid state.


6. When your happy that it is, you simply take a background (i'm working on the Twinchie first.) You simply dip it into the pot .. not in the back where it is deepest, otherwise you will get too much utee on your work, but dip where it is shallower & gently pull it forward in the utee just a few millimetres .. the more you pull it the thicker the utee you will get.



7. So dip one side, carefully turn & dip the next & so on. It dries very quickly, but be warned it is very hot.

8. & then I do the same with an inchie :



& that's all there is to it :o) I hope this has helped you understand a little more about melt pots, utee & faux soldering :)
So here's the finished project :

I did add myself to another group in my 20 Twinchies swap & these are what I've come up with this time !

I've really enjoyed doing these, two of the groups have filled now but there are still another potential two groups to go ... wonder if we will fill them all ? ... can't wait for everyone elses to start coming through !
I've not yet got around to telling you all about my weekend in Harrogate with the Brilliant Dyan at Art from the Heart ... it's just been one of those weeks ! .. still now is prob' as good a time as any. Well what can I say, never had so much fun for a long time ! & there's always something new to learn & Dyan certainly knows her stuff & is a wonderful teacher .. if you ever get a chance to go play ..DO !


This is my mum, Dyan & myself at the end of a long but brilliant weekend !
It was a Ranger Techniques weekend, We used Distress Inks,(I've now worked out that I know 18 different ways of using them lol) .. we used paint dabbers, adirondack inks, Claudine Hellmuth Paints, Gel mediums & crackle glazes, pearl pigments & alcohol inks .. we ran out of time & will be going back for a 2nd weekend !!! Bring it on !!! lol :D
Right, I have work to do, so I'd better love you & leave you ..catch you soon x

Well I've got around to making the Twinchies for my 20 Twinchies swap today .. enjoyed these so much I might just add myself to another group :D
So here's a piccy of them :)

okay .. they're not the best piccy's in the world, but they are better than none .. this is my new workroom in the loft :) I love it. So much more room, But it isn't quite finished yet .. but it's getting there !

Hi
sorry I've not posted for a few days, But I have an excellent excuse ! .. I am now the proud new owner of a new workroom
8 metres of new desktop to work on .....lovely storage & shelves to put all my goodies on ..so I will take some photographs of it & post them , tomorrow if I can. I will also put up another mini workshop asap... & I also wanted to let you know that over on UKS I'm hosting a TWinchie swap (just like inchies but 2x2" square) .. so if you fancy joining in ..come on over & find the thread in the swaps :D
speak soon
x

Ok ... class 2 coming up, earlier in the week (as you can see below) I made some backgrounds .. this is going to be the first class doing something with them.
Today is an ATC making class .. Now I know a lot of you already do the ATC thing .. But there are many who aren't quite sure what they are, how you do them or why we do them ! ..
Ok so here's the deal, there are only 2 rules
1. they must measure 2.5 " x 3.5 "
2. They can only ever be traded/ swapped never sold.
& that's it, any medium, paint, collage, embellishments, inks, stamping, anything you can think of ..let your mind run wild lol :D
Why do we do them ? .. lot's of reasons ..it's great fun, it's a brilliant way of using up all those scraps left over from your LO's, You get miniature works of art from any where in the world & you never know what's going to drop through your door in the post !
Have a try, I promise you they are addictive , so you have been warned ! :D

I used the first background sheet that I made for this project, & I cut a rectangle 2.5" x 3.5" out of it.
& I selected my image that I was going to use too.
I have added the image here incase you want to use the same one ..just copy & paste it.




The next thing to do is to cut around the image so that you lose the background, you then attach the image to the ATC with either Mod Podge or PVA glue (some people prefer to water the PVA down, but it's not something that I've ever done, but that's up to you)
I glue all over the entire background, place the image & then glue over the image too, this makes them harder wearing & also gives a nice sheen to the atc.



Once this has dried (it doesn't take very long)I used my cropodile to set 5 small eyelets down the right hand side of the card.



I then used a stamp of a ruler (this is a Clarity Stamp) & I used Jet black archival Ink to stamp the image along the bottom of the ATC over the picture of the girl.



Then I added some ribbon (adhering it at the back)& feeding it through the eyelets, adding a bead, then tying a bow at the bottom & adding a small padlock charm.




Don't forget that on the back you need to put your name, how many of the card you made i.e 1/5 or 2/6
You can add other info such as what you used if it's something a bit different.
You also add the date, & you can if you wish name the ATC.
This one I have named Hedgerow Gypsy.
So on the back ofthis ATC I have written :
Anneliese Bates
12/03/2009
1/1
Hedgerow Gypsy.

I hope if you haven't already tried ATC's that you maybe will give it a go now ... & I will gladly do a 1 to 1 swap with anyone who decides they will have a go ! just let me know :D

Hello :o)
Well we start the week of with a mini class making backgrounds which we will use later this week in some more mini projects that I've got coming up.

I've given you all the products that I've used (which are all available at artisttradingpost.com) but of course you can use what ever you have to hand ...

We will be using these backgrounds to make a Card, an Inchie or two, An ATC & as part of a scrapbook layout. So plenty of uses ... & I'm sure there are probably plenty more too !
( I made 3x A5 backgrounds)

So let's get started

Background Recipe
Used on all backgrounds shown :
Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood, Faded Jeans,
Tea Dye & Old Paper.
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Walnut Gold (only product not available at ATP)
Distress re-inker in Walnut Stain

To create the initial stage use your selected inks & twist a square of ink on to a craft sheet. Spritz them with plenty of water.Then add a small drizzle of re-inker (this is very concentrated so you won't need a lot.)

Once this has been done to your satisfaction spritz with the glimmer mist to give it a lovely sheen.

Once this is done, you need to leave it to dry or if your impatient like me you can use a craft iron to dry it out (you can use a heat gun but you will need to flatten it afterwards)



Next you will need to select yourself some stamps. For the first background I used the following :
Clarity Stamps Sprig
Crafty Individuals CI-207 Elements Ferns & Grasses ( I love this selection of stamps !)
I also used the Ranger Archival Inks in Jet Black & Sepia to do the stamping with.



Now the trick is to be random with your stamping as you have no idea what you might be doing with the background yet so have fun & enjoy.



Handy Tip : If you wipe an ink pad across a stamp it will give you a softer imager than if you pat it on This of course can be useful for adding a feeling of depth.


Next you get your stickles (I used Cinnamon & Platinum on mine) & very lightly dab onto selected areas of the background.


Background 2:
This time I started off by using Crafty Individuals C!-116 Crackled Stamp with a versamark ink & Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls to create an aged look to the background.


I then used the following selection of stamps :
Crafty Individuals CI-116 Crackled Stamp
Crafty Individuals Music
Clarity Stamps Walnut Tree
Paper Artsy Eclectic Plate 4

I stamped them using Walnut Stain Distress Ink & Ranger Sepia Archival Ink.




Background 3.

This time I used a Tim Holtz Mask from his idea-ology range, It's called Flourish & is fabulous to use .. the effects you can create with these masks are great.
I applied the mask to the background & used the Walnut Stain Distress Ink on a sponge & blended it gently over the mask.



I then used the following Stamps
Crafty Individuals Butterfly Lady CI-108
Crafty Individuals Paris Ticket CI-128
Paper Artsy Minis MN02 The eyes see everything



I hope you've enjoyed having a go at these backgrounds & will be ready when later this week I post the projects that we are going to use them for ....

So here we are ..the end of the week again ! Lot's of new & exciting things coming up on the blog .. we're going to have some mini classes & projects, plus challenges & possibly even some blog candy ;o) So do watch this space !
& I have finally got around to photographing some Tags I made this last week as samples...