Wednesday 30 August 2017

Flying Skull People! by Lesley

Hey people. Lesley here with some little hanging ornaments for you.
I really should stop make hanging type things.......they are such a pain in the butt to photograph!!


I found these weird shaped egg type wooden things in my stash......though they would be good to use as bodies. I used an air drying modelling fixative to attach the skulls to the bodies.
And then used another piece along the back to attach the wings.


Before attaching the wings, i heat embossed each set.


I love the detail you can see on the wings!
Next, i painted them both and added a touch of crackle glaze, and then some metallic wax on top.


I'm not a glitter fan.....but i do like a bit of sparkle, and the little crowns are super sparkly!


I used the teeny tiny hearts out of the Valentine mini shapes on the front of the bodies.


To hang them i added little screw fitting and added a length of chain to the top and bottom and hung a crystal.


Thanks for reading,
L.xx

Ingredients used
Mini Valentine and heart shapes, style one
Mini MDF wood wings, style one
Mini MDF wood wings, style two

Sunday 27 August 2017

A Nautical Hat by Julie Ann

Hello Everyone! Have you been on any exciting journeys this summer? Today I have a whimsical project inspired by fashionable ladies of the eighteenth century and maritime adventures!




This project started with a 'what if'? What would a Calico Craft Parts Galleon look like covered in map paper - and then - what kind of project could I use it on? I always find that when I gather a collection of Calico Craft Parts on my work table my imagination is sparked and all kinds of project ideas start to flow!



Once I'd succeeded in creating my 'map galleon', filing down the edges and fiddly little spaces in between the sails with a tiny metal file - which is not as hard as I thought it might be - I experimented with map papers on a mini block style Tall House kit.


As I played with the pieces, my thoughts kept turning to the elaborate coifs and hats of eighteenth century ladies that would sometimes feature intricate model sailing ships, and Marina - the stylish figurehead and protector of mariners took shape!



She has spent many months looking out over the waves, protecting the brave sailors as they chart their course over the wild ocean so the paint on her home has become weathered and cracked. I used some 'Marie Antoinette' inspired design paper to cover the body of this standard jointed art doll kit, style 1. A scrap of real lace and a lacy stamp form her elegant sleeve.



It was fun to create Marina's extravagant hat, using gauze to suggest both waves and a wind-blown veil. I used a Calico Flourish to suggest a brim and the sun-kissed foam.




I wonder what secrets of the deep Marina's giant shell whispers to her? I certainly haven't crossed any oceans yet this summer, but Marina is not just a ship's figurehead! She has a practical purpose - to store twine for projects and parcels. And she has an imaginative role to play too.



If I turn Marina's pedestal around, she has a message for me. I am reminded that we can travel anywhere in the world on the sails of our dreams.



I love how old maps and charts have their own kind of stories to tell and how imaginatively they play with images and symbols. They evoke the magic, excitement and danger of sailing to new worlds.


Home at last! The much travelled and rather sophisticated Marina has returned and here she is telling her traveller's tales at a gathering for Twine Goddesses. When I added her to the group, I realised that they could be seen as representing the 4 Seasons: Spring, new creative beginnings; Summer, travels real and imagined; Autumn, warm earth colours and Winter, fairy-tales told by the fire on snowy afternoons! Thank You so much for stopping by today. I will be back in a fortnight's time. I wish you happy creative days.

Calico Craft Parts used in this Project
Standard Jointed Art Doll Kit, Style 1, small
Block Style Tall House Kit, small
Galleon Boat MDF Wood shape, style 1
Floral Flourish Wood Border Embellishment
Sheet of mini MDF Nautical Motifs
Sheet of Mini Feather Wood Shapes

Wednesday 23 August 2017

Under the Sea by Jennie


Hello Everyone and welcome to my second project this month (how the months pass by so quickly!)

Having spent the last seven weeks "on" the sea I thought I would make a project of some of the things we have seen "under" the sea whilst at anchor and out in the dinghy. The waters of Shetland and the West coast of Scotland are amazingly clear and I am always blown away by the colours in the shallows of the seaweed and rocks. So this little piece is inspired by those memories.


I started off with a 125 x 125 Birch Plywood Board. I love these boards as you can really use a lot of products on them. I gave the board a coat of gesso first and added some texture paste before finally adding a layer of lace, mesh and a die cut leaf. Although I have used a die cut from my stash there are some fabulous Seaweed and Kelp shapes in the CCP shop HERE.


For the next layer I stuck down some shells collected over the years along with the gorgeous Scalloped Seashell and one of my favourite anchors. I had given the shell and anchor a light covering of white paint in preparation for the next stage.


Then I started spraying with spray inks - very lightly and using a lot of water in between the layers.


I love how the lace takes up the colours.


I added more inks around the outside edges and added some stamping here and there. I have always wanted to see a sea horse in the little rock pools but not so far!  I thought this quote was quite appropriate as there is a world of magic under the sea.


Tiny glass beads were the last element to be added. We always anchor wherever possible in sand (although sometimes it is very thick black mud!) and the sandy bottom of the sea creates some wonderful reflections when the sun is shining.



Thank you for joining me today for my little sea adventure.

Happy Crafting.

Jennie x


Calico Craft Parts Used Today:

Monday 21 August 2017

Maritime ATC Duo - by Claudia

On my last Calico Craft Parts project from two weeks ago (over HERE) I used designer papers from a paper pad that I had almost forgotten about...but I fell in love with it again - so I had to use more of it with another project: a set of ocean themed ATCs this time!


I also had to use some of the wonderful new Coral Wood Shapes and Word Elements on them! The latter are really the perfect little add to finish off any projects, aren't they?

Calico Craft Parts used:

- ATC Mixed Media Dutch Greyboard Blanks - pack of 5
- Word Elements - Apothecary
- Word Elements - Summer & Seaside
- Coral MDF Wood Shape
- Seahorse MDF Wood Shape - Style 4

First I glued the two greyboard ATC blanks to the backs of my chosen designer papers using matte Decou-Page (short hint: if you want to have a specific area of the designer paper's front on your ATC simply hold the paper against the light for a bit of transparency and then place your ATC blanks behind the chosen area).


While the two ATCs were set aside to dry I painted the seahorse and the coral with DecoArt Coral Blush and Alizarin Crimson Americana acrylic paints. 



I dry brushed a bit of each the other colour onto the dry pieces - so the coral got slightly darkened edges and the seahorse a brighter belly, nose and tail. I hope a bit of it shows on the pictures below (we had another thunderstorm approaching while I was crafting and taking pictures so they became quite dark which I only noticed afterwards when I had finished everything off). 


I trimmed off the excess designer paper and sealed the fronts of my ATCs with a thin coat of matte Decou-Page. 


Then I blended the edges of the ATCs with dark brown archival stamping ink and a piece of blending foam. I also scraped on some white DecoArt media Crackle Paint here and there with a palette knife. 


The Word Elements were dry brushed with white DecoArt Acrylic Gesso and then given washes of Alizarin Crimson Americana paint and DecoArt media Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide fluid acrylic. 




Once all had dried I added a coat of diluted DecoArt media Burnt Umber Antiquing Cream. Once that had dried I wiped off most of it with a soft damp cloth until I was content with the look. 


The Word Elements, seahorse and coral were glued to the ATCs with matte Decou-Page and some rough cord was attached to the Word Elements' openings and wrapped around the ATCs. 


I added a generous coat of DecoArt Triple Thick to the seahorse and coral and let that air dry. 


To finish off my ATCs I added some self adhesive half pearls. 


Voilá! 




I hope you like my ATC duo!





See you in two weeks!
Hugs and happy crafting!
Claudia
xxx



Thursday 17 August 2017

Candle Birthday Cards by Lesley

Hey everyone. Lesley here with a couple of birthday cards for you.
Now.......i don't make cards. Can't remember the last time i made one.......but we are talking a good few years!

I attacked these in the same way i attack my journal pages.
Armed with stencils, paint and stamps.......i got creating!


I used Kraft coloured card blanks. Using my fingers i smeared paint straight over the card blank.
And then i built up the layers using stencils, more paint and stamps.


I snipped the candle parts of the candelabra, painted them white with a yellow flame and then heat embossed the white part.
I added white fabric tape and a sticker to finish.


I had another candelabra......so another card had to be made!


Paints and stencils were used. And a couple of stamps.


I painted the candles in the same way as the previous card........but rather than heat embossing them........i added two coats of liquid wax. Really tricky to photograph......but they do look like actual candles with the wax on top!


More tape was added and a sentiment stamp to finish.


So, if you need a quick and easy birthday card......make sure you have these little candelabras in your stash!


Thanks for reading.
L.x

Ingredients used.
Candelabra Style 11