Tuesday 27 May 2014

Crafting with out a net

Yesterday I talked about crafting in the safe zone.

I finished my mini canvas


I have used foil tape, Fernli Designs flourishes and chandelier, black acrylic paint, gilding wax and blue, green and red shimmer mists.  I have also used lace, gilding flakes, card board and a little bling.

My original idea was to make a 3D dress on the canvas and I did actually get the 3D skirt on before I stopped thinking and just went for it.  The skirt now looks like a volcano I think.

I need to work on my photography skills.  Learn about lighting and other skills that will help me to get better photos of my makes.

Well housework calls.

Laters

Naomi x

Monday 26 May 2014

The Safe Zone

I realised today that I have been crafting in the safe zone a lot recently.  I know how to make boxes and things like that and I enjoy working out how to do things, but I haven't truely stepped out of the safe zone for a while now.

So here is my challenge for myself today.


The canvas measures 4.75 x 6.25 inches. I am going to put a 3D Dress on it using fabric and paper.  I've never tried doing this before so fingers crossed.

I'm off to play.

Laters

Naomi x

Sunday 25 May 2014

Progress

Those of you that are following my blog will know that I have been working on a suitcase that was inspired by a lady who belongs to a group I am in on Facebook. There is a link to her blog in my post called "On it's hols"

In this post I would like to show you my progress so far.


I made the handle myself from faux leather.  The project changed part way through or I would have put a black handle on, but I still love it.


The wooden topper I have created is made of  two sizes of Heart of Hearts and a Heart 3" from Fernli Designs

I covered the inside in a brown swirly paper to finish it off.  The piece that sticks up at the front is to make sure that the top is kept stable.  The hinges are good, but I wanted to be sure.

I'm really pleased with it so far, but it still needs decorating and feet to finish it off.  I already have ideas for another one.

Feel free to make suggestions.

Laters

Naomi x

Friday 23 May 2014

Hinged

I have been working on my suitcase and I wanted to update you on where I am.  I have now built the carcass using 2mm thick chipboard/Greyboard.


My original idea was to use the two ovals of Tim Holtz grunge paper that you see in the picture above, but they don't hold the top on sturdy enough because they are too small, so onto plan B.


I did a quick trip to town this morning to buy wellies for my youngest and I picked up a pair of 1.5" Butt Hinges in Wilkinsons for 49p each. I went for the brass coloured ones as they will work best with the papers I plan to use.

I will be making a video tutorial for this at some stage as I plan to make more of these if all goes to plan.

I'm off to sort out the holes for my hinges and work out the handle.  If all goes to plan I can start to cover it with paper today and I will be able to give you another update.

Laters

Naomi x

Wednesday 21 May 2014

On it's hols

Sorry that I haven't been posting recently, but my mojo took an unauthorised holiday.

Well it came roaring back today thanks to this talented lady Jen Paris Waugh I absolutely adore her suitcases and I am going to have a go at making one.  The ideas are perculating and I have started drawing out plans for how much chipboard I will need.

I have already chosen the papers I will use and I'm already thinking embellishments.  My mind is working faster than I can scribble down ideas.

I have also started work on a new mini album designed by Deborah Hemsworth, who is one of the admins on CFG Minis with me.  This is quite exciting for me as I have not worked on a mini designed by some one else before.

Before I run off to play with chipboard I just wanted to share my tag box with you.  I still need to work on the inside, but I'm quite pleased with the outside.  It is the first time that I used fabric on a project and faux leather.


Please excuse the mess in the background, but I don't craft tidy.


I made the flowers myself.  There are 3 in that cluster.

I'm off to cut chipboard now.

Laters

Naomi x

Friday 16 May 2014

Finished :)

I finally finished it.  I have been working on a desk organiser from Fernli Designs now.  It was a n easy project, but I kept getting distracted by other things so it took longer than it should have to complete it.

I'm so pleased with it.  It is a simple make with not too much flash, but it looks just the way I thought it would in my head.  I love it when a plan come together :D




I put 5 small wooden beads on the bottom to give the illusion that it is supported by the flourishes on the side.  You can't see them in these pictures.

You can find the desk organiser here and the decorative panel here.  I used the large panel on this project.

I'm off to do some housework.  If my parcel arrives on time I will be doing some scrapping later with some scary looking papers.

Laters lovelies

Naomi x

Thursday 15 May 2014

Inky Fingers

Inky fingers are my happy fingers.  Why?  Because if I have inky fingers, it means I am creating and creating makes me happy.  I love working on unplanned projects where I don't think I just make.  See where the creative process takes me.  I think some of my best makes have come from that.


The top of this wooden box started out as a sheet of A4 thin card.  A digi stamp and a lot inking later and I had this.


Lots of inking and stamping with distress ink on this one


The paper I used to decorate this box what plain white.  I inked with milled lavender and dusty concord distress inks and then stamped with dusty concord to get the pattern before gluing it to the box.


Again I have inked and stamped onto plain white card stock.

I have about two thirds of the current colours of distress inks and I still want more.

Any way, my inking is waiting to be finished.

Laters

Naomi x

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Just a quickie

I'm feeling quietly please with myself.  Last night I started altering a lamp shade.  I know that may not sound very exciting, but this is something I have never done before.


I bought a lamp about 5 years ago and this is the shade.


This is what it looks like at the moment.  I still have work to do on it and I have a crystal fringe planned.

I have been out of the house since 8am and didn't get home till 9pm so time for me to go chill.

Laters

Naomi x

Sunday 11 May 2014

Digi crazy

I'm loving getting back into using my digi stamps.  My only problem now is I need more pens.  I have a limited amount of Copics, which I love, but they are are not cheap and I need more colours.

This is one of the projects that I wanted to get finished today


The image is Captain Lock from Kenny K. I have had this one for a while and she is one of my favourite Steampunk girls.  Jetpack Jayne is my other favourite, but they are all good.  I'm going to try to use one of my goth girls next as those are a lot of fun to do.  I think Devilish Donna is my favourite one of that set.

House work calls

Laters


Naomi x

Sunday Sunday

I'm sitting here in my pink and black spotted pj's today.  I'm part way through a card, but my iron is low so everything is taking forever.

I have seen some gorgeous layouts today.  Some are in the CFG groups and some on Pinterest.  A chat with a friend led to me scoping out dies on the Sizzix website, but I have been very good and didn't buy anything.

I think my mojo is buried under my quilt snoozing today, so I am going to be researching new inking techniques on Youtube and Pinterest today, to try when I have a bit more energy.

My Back 2 Basics videos have been well received.  I understand I can set up a page on my blog with links to my tutorials, so I am going to see if I can work out how to do that.

So much to see and do today.  Let my mojo take a day off,  that's okay, because I plan to work it once it wakes up :~D

Laters

Naomi x

Friday 9 May 2014

.....and I'm feeling goooooood

This morning I popped in to see my friend Sharon.  We have known each other for years having met at the computer fairs when her hubby and my then partner both used to work the circuit.

I'm lucky enough so have some good friends who make me think about myself and what I want from myself and the world.  Today's visit with her got me thinking about why I craft.

I love it.  It is that simple. The act of making something new, coming up with a concept and carrying it through even changing it as you go is so wonderful.  I learn from the disasters and delight in the things that go right.

Just thinking about making stuff is like a mental hug to me.  I love creating things and inventing new ideas.  I do make stuff that is inspired by other people or their makes, but as I don't use many tutorials, the challenge of working out how to do it is sometimes just as important as the end result.

I wont lie.  Having other people tell me that they like my makes does give me a boost.  My mum has some of my makes on display around her house.  I'm talking about cards that I made her years ago.  Makes me so happy that she likes them enough to still keep them.

I love to teach.  That light bulb moment when the other person gets it is amazing.  I remember teaching a client I was working with fractions.  He had gone through life being told he was stupid and I met him when he was 18 and doing a course where I worked.  He was so so so happy.  He went around teaching every one else in the room how to do fractions, whether they needed to be taught or not.  You just can't match that feeling.

As part of my admin job with Crafty Fairy Godmothers (link in the side bar on the right) I create tutorials for the members that teach them how to do things they may not have tried before.  Earlier this year we ran BAMP 1 (Build A Mini Project)  I was like a proud mama looking at what they had made using my ideas and instructions.  Some had never made a mini album before and here they were, not only having had made an album, but having changed the design a bit to make another one using the concepts I had taught them.

WOW

I just can't describe that feeling.

I have been typing for ages and I need to shoot another Back to Basics video.

Enjoy the rest of your day

Laters

Naomi x

Thursday 8 May 2014

Lights, Camera, Action

It's been a busy day today. Started with coffee with a dear dear friend and then I came home and attempted to sort out two of my crafting drawers.  I say attempted, because I got as far as separating the paper into different sizes and then gave up.  So now I have a drawer full of 12x12 papers and another with 6x6 and 8x8 pads and pages.

When I first started out I bought loads of single sheets that didn't necessarily go together.  End result is, I now have loads of papers that wont work together.  Time to have a proper sort out I think and give some away.

Today I filmed a back to basics video.  I really need to work on my lighting.  I changed where I set up the camera this time as I am left handed and end up blocking what I am doing from the shot.  It was better, but the lighting is still bad and that stops you from being able to see details properly because of the glare.  I will get there.

I have now edited the video that I need for a scrapbook challenge I am setting up for next month and this one showing tearing and distressing techniques.


Time to sort out dinner now.

Laters

Naomi x

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Construction

Yesterday I mentioned my crafting style and it reminded me of a video I made a little while ago about my journey into construction.


This is a video that explains how I got started.  It shows some of the things that I have made (both good and bad) and what I have learned along the way.



This is one of my earliest constructed makes.  I'm really proud of it because I didn't have any instructions to follow and it came out better than I had expected when I started it.  It is made from 480gsm card stock and the papers are Heartfelt Creation.  Can't say enough good things about that make.

Dishes are calling so I had best get on, but I hope you all have a great day.

Laters

Naomi x

Tuesday 6 May 2014

I don't know how it happened

I have shocked myself.  Yesterday I made a pink and girly scrapbook layout with loads of lace and flowers on.  Why is this a shock?  We any one who knows me and my crafting knows I don't do loads of pink and girly.

If I had to describe my crafting style, I would call it grunged and distressed.

I love dark rich jewel tones and the many shades of brown.  I fell in love with Steam punk as soon as I saw it and I haven't looked back since.  I understand the essence of steampunk. but I don't feel that I have ever truely pulled it off, so I call my stuff steampunk inspired. It drives me nuts when people make something, slap a cog on it and call it steampunk.  It isn't!!  Why is there a cog sticking out of the flowers?  It has nothing to do with any thing else that is on the page and the image or topper used is usually not steampunk either.

As you can tell, the cog thing is a bug bear of mine.

I digress.  Yesterdays layout is for a challenge I will be running in June for CFG Scrappers.  I need to take a proper day light photo and then I can start work on the video tutorial to go with it.  I also need to start work on another video that needs to precede it as there is a technique that I used that needs explaining.

I need to finish getting ready for the school run and work

Laters

Naomi x 

Monday 5 May 2014

Purple Hooded Onesie Crafting

Yes today I will be wearing the purple hooded onesie.  Very comfy to wear and not too warm.

I'm feeling a bit ambitious today.  I'm hoping to make a back to basics video and a step by step tutorial for a new layout.  Why is this ambitious?  Well my 8 year old talks to himself non stop (he is autistic) so getting enough quiet time to make a video when he is home may be near impossible.  Love him to bits, but he even talks in his sleep sometimes so there is no guarantee of quiet even then lol

I have a "sort of" idea for the layout, so it will be made up as I go along.  The basic concept has been in my head since yesterday, so now I just need to get it out.  I'm going to be working with pastel colours.  Not normally my cup of tea, but I am trying to expand on what I can do.  Step out of my comfort zone so to speak.

At some point today I need to do some die cutting.  I got a massive bargain in the Sizzix sale.  I bought 5 dies for just under £20 including P&P and saved £60.  I need to cut some for myself and I promised a friend that I would send her some die cuts as well.

I'm off to start working out what I will need for the B2B video.  Have a good day.

Laters

Naomi x

Sunday 4 May 2014

Making progress

I finished two projects today so I am feeling very pleased with myself.  I still have a layout rattling around in my head that I need to find papers for and I need to finish painting the desk organiser so that I can decorate it, but I'm happy with what I have done.


This is my finished card.  It feels like it needs a little something in the top left corner, but I couldn't figure out what so I am leaving it alone for now.

I'm off to dig through my papers to see what yo use for that layout.

Laters

Naomi x

Feeling inspired

I only managed four hours of sleep last night.  Why??  Because I had so many crafty ideas running around my head that even sketching things out didn't help.  I'm sat here this morning with 2 projects started and another begging to come out.  My brain is going a mile a minute and you know what.... I think I like it.


I have just finished the topper for a card I am making for the weekend challenge over at Crafty Fairy Godmothers.  (You can find the link in my side bar).  I have used a Kenny K digi stamp and two distress inks (Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint.)

I love digi stamps.  They are very versatile.  You can resize them, flip them and if you know how, layer them.  The Kenny K ones are my absolute fave, but I also like Saturated canary and a few others.  I'm still working on my colouring technique. I'm using copics at the moment, but I don't have nearly enough of the colours yet.  I'm trying to decide if I should change to another brand of pen as they are not cheap.  Nearly £3 each.

Well my crafting is calling my back.  If I actually get one of those projects finished today I will share a pic or two.

Have a good Sunday :)

Laters

Naomi

Saturday 3 May 2014

Happy National Scrapbooking Day

I would love a whole day of scrapping to celebrate, but unfortunately work calls.

I started a little project last night (wooden) and if I am not too tired tonight, I will do a bit more work on it. So far it is going well and I'm looking forward to showing it to you.

Since I don't have a new project to share with you today, I would like to share with you a few of my previously made scrapbook layouts.


The picture is of my eldest son who is now 23.  This is a simple layout that I used to make a tutorial for this months challenge on CFG Scrappers


I haven't found the right photo yet, but I had the layout in my head so I had to make it.


This started off as 2 sheets of 12x12 white card stock and 2 pieces of black for the photo matts.  A lot of inking and die cutting later and I had this layout.  I love creating my own backgrounds.  I have some new brightly coloured shimmer mists to play with so look out for some really bright layouts from me.

Need to go iron my uniform, but have a great day.

Laters

Naomi x

Friday 2 May 2014

Shocked and ecstatic

I have been doing a happy dance since last night.

Do you remember that I said that I was going to apply for a design team a few days ago?  I really didn't expect to get picked when I applied, but last night I got the email and I am officially Guest Designer for Fernli Designs in December.

If by some chance you haven't heard of them yet, check out this link Fernli Designs  So many yummy goodies to play with and they are coming out with new designs all the time.  All of the wooden embellishments that I used on my hessian canvas came from them.

I'm off to bounce around some more and then I think I should go play with some of the goodies that I bought from them last week (errr I have another order on the way, so I may be slightly addicted.).

I will try to get another post up later if I manage to finish what I have planned in my head.

Laters lovelies

Naomi x

Thursday 1 May 2014

Today is the day.....

.....that I can finally show you what I have been up to.  3 minutes past midnight so it is officially the right day lol


This is for a challenge that is running over at CFG Scrappers.  You can find a link to the group in the side bar.  This is the hessian covered canvas that I was working on earlier this week.

For some reason Blogger wont let me link directly to the video that shows you the process of how the canvas was created so click here to watch it.   It is quite a simple one to do once you get the hang of it.

I really need my bed now.

Laters

Naomi x zzzzzz