Christmas Crackle Reindeer card by Guest designer Katie Lamb

Hello Crafter's 

Whilst I am typing this it's very white outside, really gets you in the mood for a bit of Christmas crafting, and luckily we have just the blog for you lol x

Tonight we have the very talented Katie on the blog to show us her fab make with the November Box " It's Christmas Boxed up"

Hello Katie here, I started crafting about 12 years ago as I needed somewhere to store my photos and wanted to include a bit more about them so started scrapbooking. I got into mixed media about 3 years ago after seeing it in a magazine and have been hooked on paints & inks ever since then. 

Christmas Crackle Reindeer card

Take a 6 x 6 sheet of paper and tear around the edges. Don't worry about being neat as this adds texture. Adhere this onto one of the embossed card blanks.

Cut a silver doily in half and adhere to card. Next take one of the 6 x 6 papers and cut a 6 x 2 strip and adhere it over the doily before trimming to fit.

Cut a 3 x 5 rectangle and adhere over the strip

Take the other half of the doily and place it over the larger rectangle.

Cut another smaller rectangle and place this over the larger one.

Take one of the torn sides from the first layer and place over the top of the small rectangle.

Cut a strip 2 x 4 and place across the center of the card.

Paint the wooden reindeer. I used black gesso for the first layer and then added crackle paste to it which i tinted with gold paint.

Decorate the card by clustering the 

poinsettia and berries around the card. Finish off by adding a sentiment topper.

Thanks Katie, I love the cracked reindeer and the composition of this card, beautiful.

Katie's blog is http://whatkatiedid2.blogspot.co.uk/

If you are interested in the November goodie box, we still have a couple left, just click the link below to go to the page.

Thanks for looking and please leave a nice comment. 

Jules xx

Using Bistre powder

Hello

So I promised I would show you how to use the Bistre powder which came with the October goodie box.

It came in a glass jar, and the best way to start is to pierce the top of the lid. (sharp poky tool works well). This way you can shake it on to your projects in small amounts.

I started with a very small amount on white card. A little goes a very long way.

Then spray water over the top, this really highlights the different colours within the powder, and could be left to dry like this

But I moved it back and forth

And how it dried

Nice, I like this for a larger piece of card, Great for mat & layering or die cutting

I Started again on small pieces of card, this one is with less water 

Then moving the card and drying with a heat gun at the same time.

 Spray the card with water first, lots of it and then sprinkle the Bistre, another different look. 

Next I tired to colour with 3D gel and texture paste, use a small amount of powder and mix well

Again different results, the 3D gel goes much darker than the paste.

The last one was mopping up the watery mess on my craft mat with plain copy paper, this takes the colour well and can be used for backgrounds and stops any waste.

I hope this was helpful, would love to see how you use yours!

The November goodie box is available to pre-order now, please go to http://www.artfuldays.co.uk/ourshop/prod_5450620-November-goodie-box-Its-Christmas-all-boxed-up.html 

Thanks for looking, would love it it you could leave a nice comment 

Jules xx

Flowery Canvas by Guest Designer Catherine

Hello Crafter's

Hello. Catherine from Inkyfingeredcat here to share another project I made using the steampunk goodie box.

 I decided to make another canvas as I had had such fun with the Christmas tree one I shared a few days ago. So I grabbed another canvas board and added distress stain and water to blend all around the edge. I knew I would be covering the middle so didn't bother with that. 

I then used the same distress stains to add colour to the laser cut cogs panel and other cogs in the set. Love how cool these look

I then grabbed some of the fab industrial themed paper from the Goodie box and inked the edge of it in the same stains, mainly the brown. I then started building a little cluster of loveliness... of course I forgot to take pictures as I was so busy enjoying myself! 

Whilst letting this all dry I turned my attention back to the background canvas. I added a little bit of text stamping in archival brown and some pigment white. This just added a little more interest whilst remaining subtle. 

I then glued down the paper panel and added the title which is another bit of stamping on some brayered book print and added a bit more of the white stamping.  

Once it was dry I used a mixture of Inktense pencils and Faber-Castell castellated Pitt pens to add definition and shading... and the white sharpie for highlights too!

I've loved playing with the many steampunk goodies in the box this month and still have loads left to keep playing with.  Such fun!

Catherine X 

Wow another fab project, love the rich colours, they work so well with the embellishments and paper from the box. A huge thanks the Catherine and the blog posts this week, if you love her work please follow the blog link below and hopefully we will see some more work soon:) 

https://catiecuddles.wordpress.com

If you love the creations Catherine made and would like to order a goodie box either on subscription or as a one off please go to http://www.artfuldays.co.uk/

The current theme is It's Christmas boxed up and is available to pre-order now.

Thanks for looking and please leave a nice comment. 

Jules xx

Steampunk ATC's by Guest Designer Catherine

Hello Crafter's 

Catherine from Inkyfingeredcat here to share another project using the fabulous steampunk goodie box.  This time I've returned to my current obsession... ATC's. I just love creating these little mini art pieces. 

Steampunk ATC's

I started with some pieces of left over cardstock I had used as scratch paper and cut them just a bit smaller than ATC standard size of 2.5inch by 3.5inch.  I then added some tissue paper to add texture.  Next I added some paint using a couple of colours... Buff and mustard. 

Next I took some of the lovely embossed cardstock and ripped some small pieces up to adhere to the little art pieces.  I then added Bistre and water to colour the cardstock. It looked fab when drying with the colour round the embossed patterns but with the water the definition of the patterns disappeared... so lesson to me don't add water to keep embossing. However I do love how the Bistre flowed and dried. 

I took some of the lovely tape measure ribbon and added some to each card.  I also added some Inktense shading to the edges of the ripped cardstock. 

Next to adding some embellishments... I also cut up one of the bingo cards to add the numbers and words. At this point I was just working out what layouts to use so there was a balance to each of the little works of art.

I decided however to add some hand sewing to each of them to add more texture and then started sticking things in place. It is at this point that I got a little carried away creating and forgot about the taking of photos.

What did I add as finishing touches... well those flowers were so cute and were begging to be used.  Of course, there was also the adding of bling.... some glass glitter and bead gel. 

And so a lovely trio of ATC's created from the wonderful selection of goodies and still very little used up in the generous box.  The great news about this ... I get to carry on playing and being inspired by the lovely stuff.

Catherine x

Well these are stunning, love all the details on a small project and the way you have cut up the little bingo cards. thank you Catherine. If you love this then check out Catherine's blog https://catiecuddles.wordpress.com

Thanks for looking and please leave a nice comment 

Jules xx

Steampunk Christmas Tree by Guest Designer Catherine

Hello Crafter's

This week we have Guest Designer Catherine on board to show you her fantastic makes with the October Steampunk goodie box.
I've been crafting for about 12 years on and off but obsessively for about 6 years.  About 4 years ago I started dabbling in mixed media and now can't seem to do anything without getting six hundred things out to add to my creations. I still love clean and simple but increasingly my artwork is become more layered and textured and paint is replacing ink more often now. I love my creative time where I can explore colour, texture and pretty things!

CHRISTMAS TREE CANVAS

Hello all... Catherine here from Inkyfingeredcat. I have a Christmas tree canvas that I made using the fabulous steampunk goodies in this months box.  

I started with a canvas board and added papers, some of the bingo cards and tissue paper from the packaging to coat the base. 

I then added paints in yellows and oranges to blend them together. 

Next I added some of the Bistre powder and water to darken down the background.  I've never used bistre before so must admit it was nice to try it out even if at this point the effect wasn't quite what I wanted.

Next I set about cutting up papers to make the tree shape.  I was inspired by some folk art trees I had seen and wanted it to look quite abstract knowing I was going to then construct the embellishments on top to ''dress" the tree. 

So by the time I took this picture I had managed to put together the trunk from the zip, some tinsel and trim with the ribbon and string and a few embellishments.  I had also added some shading with Inktense pencils.  I had also decided blue was the contrast colour to use and stapled the pieces together with some blue staples.  I had also decided to let the tree stand out more I needed to add some cream paint around the edge of the tree to balance it a bit more. 

Now the really fun bit adding loads more embellishments.

 I used the fabulous metal cogs and the gorgeous blue gems to continue to dress the tree. I also added some blue mica to the wooden cogs and some glass glitter ... after all a Christmas tree needs bling! 

I also added more bistre to the edge and some more Inktense pencil shading to ensure it was all defined.  I finished off with a little bit of the pearlescent paint flicked across the whole canvas to give some lovely flecks glimmer.

Really pleased with how this turned out and at how I have barely made a dent in the Goodie box... which means plenty more projects to be made! 

Catherine x

Wow, what a fantasic and creative project, thank you Catherine. If you love this then check out Catherine's blog https://catiecuddles.wordpress.com

Thanks for looking and please leave a nice comment 

Jules xx

Butterfly Tag by Linda

Hello Crafter's

We have made it to the weekend again, hope you all have a good one!!

Linda is back with a fab butterfly tag.

Sadly this is Linda's last post for Artful days, I am sure you will agree she has given some great inspiration on how to craft with your boxes

Using a piece of the A5 botanical papers from Craft Emotions I covered a tag. I distressed around the tag with DI walnut stain.

 I then stapled the butterfly burlap wired ribbon to the top of the tag.

To decorate the tag I used the following element: wooden butterfly was added to the edge of the ribbon.  I then used the pink spiders web, maple leave, 3 mulberry flowers and adhered one of the bird embellishments inside the flower.  To finish off I added 3 of the stick pins.

Linda's blog -  http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.wordpress.com

So a big thanks to Linda for all her hard work in designing with the box. 

The October box is out now available to but whilst stocks last, www.artfuldays.co.uk 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you can leave a nice comment.

Jules xx

Box Card by Linda

Hello Crafter's 

Linda is back with a box card using the Goodie from September's box. 

 I first created the box using pearlescent card and made a card wrap which folds over the box.

 I used this beautiful paper which is from Craft Emotions A5 Botanical papers.

I cut down a piece of the cream hammered card to fit inside the box. I distressed with DI bundle sage and used a couple of stencils from my stash and stencilled through them with DI forest moss. I then cut out the fence using one of my die and adhered to the outside of the box. I then decorated the background with the birds, butterfly and roses. The butterfly trail I used the gold micro beads.

To finish off the front of the box card I added the metal butterfly charm and 4 pearl flat back gems.

Linda's blogs 

http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com

http://lindasimpsoncraftypeiceofheaven.wordpress.com

Love the trial of micro beads from the butterfly

Thanks for visiting and hope you can leave a nice comment.

Jules xx