Fabric Tags

Over on the PaperArtsy blog this week there is a challenge topic of Fabric. This can be scary for some, and others just don't like sewing, or don't have a sewing machine. So I put together these little tags using fabric but no sewing. 

I started by die cutting some tags, and then did cutting a shape in the centre. I did several, all different shapes. I also cut a piece of fabric for each tag the same size as the overall large tag. All the shaped dies that I used are from PaperArtsy. (Hearts, leaves,bird)

I glued the fabric to the back of the large tags so that it shows through the die cut shape... and basically that's it.. All that is left is to add a little embellishment. 

This was a white tag, I painted it with Fresco Lilac, then edged the tag using Crayola Twistables.(available from PaperArtsy) 

As this tag is black card I needed the edge to have a bit of shimmer, so I blended some Treasure Gold around the edges. 

I then added a ribbon and this sentiment from ESN20 using WOW embossing powder in Brass Sparkle. 

This one on Kraft card just needed twine and a little ink around the edges, and the sentiment from EKD02.

The painted tag had a little lace added and the sentiment from  ELB28,

To cover the edges of the fabric on the back I added a skinny frame of card and glued that on. 

If you fancy a go with fabric but no sewing then try these out, they are really,really easy. 

Darcy x

Tilly Tomato Head

You may remember on launch night I challenged Lauren Hatwell to create a funny character using my stamps. I made one too, it was a lot of fun. Here is the tomato girl that I made. 

I started with a large tag and coloured it with black gesso. Then using my new stencil PS030 I used the random edge and a white posca pen to create this wonky chequerboard. 

I then used China Fresco to colour alternate areas. 

using red and black posca pens I added the border. 

Using my circle stencil PS031 I added circles of grunge paste to the blue squares. While the paste was still damp I scratched lines into each circle using a cocktail stick. Once dry I painted over the paste with more China and then added Treasure Gold. 

Now to create Tilly.. 

Her eyes are the centre of the Poppy from EDY19. 

Her mouth is half of a dotty circle from EDY17

Her hair is shaded lines from the centre of the frilly flower on EDY18

Once these were in place I drew around them to make the edges of the face and then painted her. 

Her body is the flower head from EDY17

The wings are half of the wings from EDY17

The skirt is the large frilly flower from EDY18

The button is a texture circle from EDY19

Her legs and shoes are the spikey grasses from EDY18

I just love how she turned out. I added text taken from 2 quotes, I felt she was a little wild lol

Why don't you grab some of your stamps and see what crazy character you can come up with. 

Darcy x

Liquid Sculpted Tags

This evening I am on the PaperArtsy blog with some experiments that I conducted on 5 tags using different mediums to stiffen fabric. 

The results are very interesting, please do pop over to the PaperArtsy blog and check out each of the tags. 

Darcy x

Big Hair

Well I had to... 

Meet Kala, my latest big haired girl. This time I wanted a different look, so I have tried a much darker skin tone. I started as always with a pencil sketch on heavy smoothy. 

I began with regular skin tones, and didn't get very far before I knew I just didn't want to do the same old regular pink tones. 

So I darkened my pallette, and introduced Brown Shed, Chocolate Pudding, Toffee, Nougat, Caramel, Green Olives..  plus a quick wash in the hair. 

Next I started adding colours to the hair, starting with black, I also adding Chocolate, and French Roast. 

The eyes are done with Chocolate Pudding, Caramel, Green Olives, Toffee, Nougat, Black. 

I also mixed some tar gel with French Roast and drizzled this over the hair, this turned out to be such a fantastic texture for the hair. 

Now for the background I applied Grunge Paste through my new stencil PS031. 

After adding some Treasure Gold over the dried tar gel, the hair looks so good. Using the centre of my new frilly flower I created a bindi.

More Grunge Paste down the sides, using the circle border from PS031. 

Now for some punchy background colours. I started with Captain Peacock. 

I also painted some card with Chartreuse and Green Olives, on this I stamped the leaves from EDY19, cut them out and added them to the base of the hair bun. 

more shading to the background, the outer area had some Caribbean Sea and Inky Pool added to it. The diamond shape is Eggplant, Bougainvillea and Cherry Red. 

Some Treasure Gold over all the grunge paste stencilled bits. 

I stamped the Popy flower from EDY19 onto purple card, cut out the petals and created this tiara. 

On Bougainvillea painted card I stamped the spikey flower from EDY18, layering the petals to creat a double  half flower for the hair. 

Here are the pink flowers in place, the nose has been shaded and the mouth is painted in Claret and Eggplant . The little necklace is the tall spikey grass stamp from EDY18.

I stencilled the butterfly from PS029 onto card using  Lavender, Glss Blue, CAribbean Sea and Bougainvillea, this was cut out and the wings cut apart so that a bridge piece could be added. I stamped the tall spikey grasses and added those as a handle. 

Using the same stencil I created 2 small butterflies, adding the veins with a black pen. 

Here she is finished, it did seem a shame to cover her pretty face, but I really wanted to create a butterfly mask. 

Because I didn't want to cover her face completely, I only stuck the butterfly down on one side, leaving the other sticking up. 

I do love this face.. 

Hope you like her. 

Darcy x

Forever Memories

This year I wanted to create memory jars for 2 special people in my family, with the view to turning them into memory books for future generations on my family. 

I started by digging out lots of painted backgrounds, scrapbook papers and digi backgrounds. I then printed out 125 questions and cut them all into strips. Each was rolled or folded, and some were tied with bakers twine. 

Don't they look pretty..

I filled 2 large coffee jars with the mini scrolls

Now to decorate the jars using digi background papers and ribbons and twine. The lids have a paperclay embellshment on top. I didn't make them Christmassy looking, as these will be used through the year. 

To go with the jars I bought 2 really nice journals with lined pages. 

and a scroll of instructions and a glue stick for sticking the questions into the journals.. 

All done, hope they have fun reminiscing and answering the questions. 

Darcy x

Use It Up...

I have been trying to use up some old craft paints. As you know I do a lot of work for PaperArtsy, and their Fresco Finish Chalk paints are truly wonderful. Trust me I simply wouldn't use them if I didn't like them. Since switching to their paints my old ones have just sat in baskets not being used at all, the quality, coverage and colour choice just isn't there. 

However, I hate to waste. So every now and then I try and use up some of the old craft paint. I am doing ok. I had around 50 bottles and now i am down to 10. I have also been using up some paints that I made myself a few years back... 

Last week, I cut off some large A3 pieces of brown parcel paper, and started sloshing paint around. no need to be careful, this stuff needs using up. I painted and stencilled...I added collage images and words, more paint, more stencilling, some stamping, some strips and splats...

Another 8 empty bottles went in the bin, and I cut down the papers to about A5 size and ended up with a 4inch stack. 

I put some aside to use in an upcoming class project, and set about die cutting the others. i did birds and flowers and leaves and circles and hearts and in the process I busted one of my cutting plates. 

Granted this thing is as old as the hills and has been cracked for probably 2 years, but it has finally bit the dust. 

but I did get a huge pile of die cuts..

I love to keep a folder of these ready to make quick cards when needed... well sort of quick, I don't actually make anything quick lol

but I did make these 12, i will send a set of 6 to a friend and keep the other 6 for birthdays.. now i just have to remember to actually send them.. 

many of the dies are by PaperArtsy, hearts, leaves and flowers. 

The bird and tulip are also PaperArtsy dies. 

Notice the 2 black butterflies? they are Graphite texture paste( by Prima) pushed into a silicone mold and left overnight. The white ones are Golden Regular Gel. 

The Graphite ones come out all sparkly and are pretty left as they are. 

I coloured the white ones using Treasure Gold. 

The coloured backgrounds are Brusho. You will see I used one of my new Christmas stamps 'With love' it is my own handwriting and so useful. 

Darcy x