Giveaway & Tutorial Time...

Goodly Morning!  I am back, as promised, with a special tutorial as part of the mahoosive Craft Stamper blog hop celebration.  How did you do?  Did you win any flash prizes?  I didn't have chance to hop about and join in myself because I was busy teaching but from what I have seen, it looks like everyone loved taking part.

 Anyways... I have done a photo step by step tutorial which will show you how to make this canvas... and as I also promised, there's some candy up for grabs for one randomly chosen entrant.  To enter into the giveaway, please click to follow me if you don't already and then leave me a comment.  Entries close at 23.59 GMT on Friday February 8th and the winner will be announced on Saturday February 9th 2013.  The winner will receive some fabby candy which will help you on your way to making the canvas.... AND... the actual canvas itself too!  Details of the stash in the candy will follow after the tutorial but here's a piccie to whet your appetite :O))

So, the ingredients you will need are pictured.. you can use all manner of what-have-you on a creation like this, so if you have lots of goodies stashed away for a special piece, now would be the time to get them out and play!  Here goes with the tut!

INGREDIENTS

STEP 1
Draw around the stencil you are using - this one is from the Stencils For Art range by Wendy Vecchi's Studio 490. This will give you an idea where to place your paper scraps

STEP 2
Use a wet glue to stick your paper blocks to the canvas - I always use Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear because it is the best wet glue in the world (said in my best Jeremy Clarkson voice there you know ;o)) Because you know where your heart will be, you don't need to cover over it... wasting paper underneath.

STEP 3
Keep adding your paper blocks until you have the canvas covered - add them over lapping and pop smaller snips across to add layers to the finished look.

STEP 4
Pop a small amount of cream paint onto a piece of Cut & Dry foam and mist with water to create a wash. Press the Cut & Dry onto your craft sheet so you can make the coverage smoother.

STEP 5
Smooth the Cut & Dry over your canvas - this will blend all your papers together and make them more uniform.

STEP 6
Dry your canvas immediately with a heat tool - you will see the paper start to bubble up after the paint application, don't panic, this is totally normal.

STEP 7
Use Glue & Seal or similar to cover the entire surface - this will not only seal your papers, it will also make applications of further products easier in later stages of the creative process.

STEP 8
Dry this with your heat tool too - you will see the papers bubble again slightly - again this is normal and once dried, they will flatten again.

STEP 9
Place your stencil over the canvas and spread Embossing Paste over the top - I use Studio 490 Embossing Paste - tis my fave!  Use a palette knife for the application and make some peaks in the embossing paste... like icing a cake :O)

STEP 10
You can see the peaks on this photo... when the paste has dried it turns matte.

STEP 11
Take your paper flowers - I use plain white ones and dye them with Colorwash/Dylusions sprays so they match perfectly - if you have coloured ones you can skip this step

STEP 12
Assemble your flower layers into embellishments and spritz with Marble Black Dylusions Spray. 

STEP 13
Shake up a bottle of Cosmic Shimmer to aggitate the mica and spritz onto the flowers.  Leave part of the flowers un-sprayed.... Set aside to dry.

STEP 14
Once your embossing paste is dried you can then decorate the canvas.  Start by measuring spaces along the edges of the canvas and mark with a pencil - this will be the start of the bi-colour border.

STEP 15
Paint alternate cream and black sections right around the edges of the canvas and dry with a heat tool.  I like to use Black Gesso for this but any black paint will work.

STEP 16
Now we are ready to add some definition to the layers created in the first few steps.  I like to use a Stabilo ALL pencil but a charcoal pencil would work well too.  Draw along the lines of layers on the papers and also around the heart.

STEP 17
Use a babywipe or waterbrush to blend the black lines to shading.

STEP 18
Use a piece of Cut & Dry and black Gesso to add black right around the edges of the front of the canvas to tidy them up and blend the front to the sides, creating a frame for your art.

STEP 19
Spritz Black Marble Dylusions Spray onto the canvas in patches, ensuring that you are spritzing onto the edges too.  Too scary?  Don't worry... if you overspray, because we sealed the papers with Glue & Seal, if you make a boo-boo you can wipe it off and start again!

STEP 20
Use your finger to apply Treasure Gold wax over the peaky bits of the embossing... and also patches onto the front and sides of the canvas.  Buff with a soft cloth to add sheen.

STEP 21
This is my fave bit!  Grab all your embellies and move them around unti you have them placed as you want... add Treasure Gold to your embellies to make them look metallic... you can use it on practically any surface too.  Once you have them in place, glue it all down!

FINISHED:

And there you have it!  I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it helpful too.  If you do make a canvas, please do let me know - link into the post or pop an email over to me.   Oh and the candy... here's what is included: 2 x 5x7 canvases and canvas board, Treasure Gold wax, 7Gypsies Alpha stamps, Artemio wooden embellies, Artemio Metal flower embellies, Resin Roses, Prima butterfly embellies, Clock embellies, Papier Mache hanging board... and of course, the canvas I have made.   Don't forget, to be in with a chance to win, click to follow my blog and leave me a comment... simples!

Thanks for looking... have a good and crafty day!  TTFN

Hels x

Craft Stamper Blog Hop - Looking Back

... tis Blog Hop time! Oh yesh, tis very exciting to be a part of this fabulous blog hop organised by Craft Stamper.  If you are visiting me today as part of the hop, the deets on how to join in will follow.  If you aren't joining in with the hop, do check out the Craft Stamper Blog HERE 'cos there are loads of lushy prizes up for grabs!

If you haven't visited my blog before, please allow me to introduce myself.  I am Hels Sheridan and have been honoured to be on the Craft Stamper Design Team for three years now.  I guess I would describe my crafting style as a little bit inky, a little bit painty and a very lot messy!  Here's a favourite project of mine that I made last year.  I love to alter all kinds of things but by far my most favourite thing is a good old canvas.  This one is 5" x 7" and has a nice deep edge.  The main reason that this is my favourite it because it combines my love of all things floral with the shabby chic look that I love so much :O))

I used lots of different media to make this canvas, including patterned papers, embossing pastes, stencils, ink sprays and of course, what self respecting canvas wouldn't be complete without a big old dollop of embellishments!  The background was created with some gorgeous Bazzill papers, I cut blocks of them and layered them onto the canvas - this is a cool way to use up your little snippets (I know you have a big box of them, we all do lol)  Once the blocks were stuck in place, I used Cut & Dry foam to smudge watered down cream paint, this ties the whole design toget and then adds to the over all effect.

The big heart is a Studio 490 stencil for art... I used Studio 490 embossing paste through the stencil and once this was set, I added smidges of Treasure Gold to the raised peaks.  The floral embellishment was made up with paper roses and Prima Flowers, to tie them into the colour scheme, I simply spritzed them with Dylusions Sprays and Cosmic Shimmer Mists.  The embellies all had a smidge of Treasure Gold wax added to them to jazz them up a bit. 

Please do call back here on Tuesday 5th Feb as I will be doing a full step by step tutorial with an altered canvas, using lots of stamps, embossing pastes, paint and embellies.  I will also be doing a giveaway too!   If you are taking part in the hop, you should be arriving here from Carol's blog.    The next letter for you to collect is...

N

I hope you are enjoying the hop and I shall now point you in the direction of Jaine, who's blog can be found HERE   If you get stuck on the hop at any part, you can hop back over to the Craft Stamper BLOG where there is a full list of participants.  Right, I shall away...  Thanks for looking, good luck with the hop and... have a fabby day... TTFN

Hels x

Play Time...

...after weeks and weeks of being a bit skint on Mojo and bemoaning the fact every day.... "I can't find my Mojo" being the overused phrase of the month... to the point that anything I have made has been a struggle... do you find that? If something is going on in your life it zaps the Mojo. Whilst I could still craft, I wasn't "feeling" it. Hurrah and thrice indeedily, Mr Mojo poked his head out from the cabinet in which he has been hiding and me, being an opportunist, grabbed him by his scruff and got cracking on a project that has been lounging about on my desk for the past couple of weeks.


Every month in Craft Stamper, which is the best stamping mag in the world (said in my very best Jeremy Clarkson voice) there's a Cut & Create template towards the back of the mag. CLICK HERE for all the deets on previous ones. I have had the pleasure of making something for the mag with one of the templates a few months ago. Well, as soon as I saw the one in April's issue I got all excited! It is an ATC envelope. I love anything that becomes a "holder" for a piece of artwork... like my T'Pouches and Tag-Velopes, it gets the creative juices flowing because it means that I can add more stuff to the project. CLICK HERE for this template and check out Kate Crane's gorgeous artwork in the mag too!



The Cut & Create templates are an absolute doddle to use too! Now, I make no secret of being computer illiterate, a veritable dinosaur in this teckernologikal age...but I can hand on heart say that these templates are easy to download and ever easier to print out...I even managed to print it out without going "Grriiiiiiim.... I need help" Haha... my tech guy is always on hand to dispense advice bless him.... So, armed with a printed out onto card template, I cut it out and then used that as a template to draw around onto some Destinations papers to make the holder pouch. I cut a piece of cream card and then got playing with lots of Grunge and Tim stamps and Alterations and turned the pouchy ATC into something Steampunkery. I even decorated the back of the ATC (not that it is 'owt special, I just wanted to use my new stamps that I got yesterday from Jennie @ The Artistic Stamper...they are the Remnants set from the new Tim collection and I lurve that hot air balloon.... got plans for that I have!)


Anyways... enough rambling and inane wafflings from me for one day. I have decided that today is also going to be a crafty day, I plan to get my Studio 490 stashly goodies out and have a good old play and see what I can come up with.



My little AlfieCat is keeping me company too, he is on his bed on top of the paperstack.. poor little fella had a dicky tum-tums yesterday and was off his food and hiding out under the coffee table... he didn't even want his treats last night...This morning, however, he is a bit brighter (phew) and managed a bowl of tuna for his breakfast (yep, I spoils him!) I hate it when he gets sick because he can't talk and tell me what is wrong :O(( Right... better dash, as much as I could sit and chatter away here all day, that won't get my fingers inky so... thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

Colorwash Crazy...

... I am a lucky lass indeedily I am! This past three months I have had a special mini series published in Craft Stamper magazine... focussing on those delightful Colorwash Sprays from Ranger. Whenever I do a piece for Craft Stamper I always like to make an extra set of things, just incase the piece I submit doesn't fit in with the magazine... and these two pieces were ones that weren't used. The technique used is the one from Part 1 - Marbelling. I have to say, this is one of my favest techniques and even though it is a bit messy you can get some really good effects with it.


The colours I used are Sunset Orange, Red Pepper and Wild Plum... bright and vivid to cheer up a dull December day! You can really see the marbelling on the little ticket on this tag... and there are Step by Step instructions in the magazine on how to achieve this effect. The card was made in the same way... lots of bright colours again and I used the Sprays to colour some diecut cardstock and some seam binding too.




Today is D day at Chez Sheridan... yes, time for us to get the old Christmas tree decorated and for Grim to wobble about on a ladder putting lights up outside... well, I say wobble about... he doesn't wobble at all... but because I will be there holding the bottom of the ladder for him and, knowing how easily distracted I am, there's a fair chance that might happen this year lol





I don't know about you but I can't seem to get into the festive spirit... the 12 Tags usually kick-starts it but... I am still lamentably so far behind with them I fear I won't ever get them done. And, I have just done a quick Christmas card list... and I need to make about 70 cards in two days... I can see that I will be doing super quick ones... why oh why do I always leave it to the last minute? I recall the "I am going to get them all made by the end November" promises I made last December, when I was in the same position and hastily licking envelopes (yak, don't you just hate that taste!) so they got into the last post before Christmas... all help will be gratefully received by the way... so if you find yourself without a thing to do you could always help me out lol


Right... better get myself to bed seeing as I have a busy day ahead.. oh and... we went to see Grim's Mum & Dad yesterday and... we have presents... and... they are wrapped... and... I reeeeeally want to give them a squeeze... I am soooo bad, I don't want to open the present... no, I have the patience to wait til the big day but... I wanna know what is under that wrapping paper... I think I will go and sit on my hands... only another 10 days to wait... (argh, 10 days..... yikes, I haven't even got the turkey yet!!!) Thanks for looking... have a fab day! TTFN

Hels x

Nice And E-Zine Does It...

Tis me again... twice in one day already!!! Anyways.. I just wanted to point you in the direction of the brand new E-Zine from Craft Stamper that launched earlier today. The E-Zine is available to download FREE of charge for a period of six months and it contains 12 complete step-by-step projects.


The projects are selected from the top rated projects of 2010, as chosen by the readers (via the feedback section on the Giveaway and Trade It coupons). You can find all the deets about how to download the E-Zine HERE.



And... even better... the lovely peeps at Craft Stamper have organised some candy, all you have to do is display the above logo in the sidebar of your blog and leave a comment on the Craft Stamper Blog (HERE) saying you have done this... you will then be entered into the giveaway where one lucky entrant can win a goody bag full of stamps and stamping goodies worth £100!!

Enjoy!!! TTFN

Hels x

Happy Birthday Craft Stamper!

... today see's the 10th Birthday edition of Craft Stamper magazine... and it is a copy that you realllly need to get your mits on - I have mine already and it is chock full of fabby tutorials and a really cool Masterclass on how to use a Bind It All by Linda Elbourne. The contributors for the mag were asked to make a card for the web Gallery - which if you click HERE you will be magically transported to - there are some divine cards on the Gallery so it is worth taking a look... not to mention the Web Extra's too.




My card was made using the usual - Distress Inks and Grungepaper and a few Tim Holtz stamps... and the Idea-ology Type Charms say CS - which is for Craft Stamper :O))



There is a great article in the magazine also about which is your favourite project from the past 10 years - I chose one by Carol Quance which really prompted me to start stamping and also to get a Bind It All machine ... Happy 10th Birthday to Craft Stamper and here is to many more years of this fabby magazine! Gotta dash now ... I have started something that I shouldn't have... unpacking boxes...which are now all over the place... and I am sitting here typing away when I should be fettling ROFL TTFN... oh, and before I dash off... there will be a brand new Sunday Stamper theme on Sunday... with a little bit of Candy too :O)

Hels x

What Day Is It Again....

....It felt like another post Christmas/pre New Year "Groundhog" day to me....getting up late, watching the birds feeding...we have Goldfinches again this year...so lovely to sit and watch them...the hours just whizz past...I play Professor Layton on my DSi for a few hours (Christmas pressie), lounge on the sofa eating copious amounts of chocolate (more Christmas pressies) and left over turkey...not at the same time I hasten to add...and then...today...something different happens!

Then our Postie made a delivery...I have to say, it has been strange not getting any mail for four days ...Anyway.... this is what he brought to me today:





I am not usually one for shouting about achievements and such like....I always feel a bit daft and embarrassed whittering on about stuff like that...so I will keep it short...and say..... O! M! G!... that little piece of art I made a few months ago is only on the front cover of Craft Stamper magazine! I am sooooooooooo excited .... so much so that I needed to do a little jig! And, the other pieces I made are in the mag too! Here are a couple of snippets of the projects I did:







But....I am going to be a party pooper now and not tell you what it is about...all I will say is that I was honoured to be asked to make this tutorial and, quite literally, it has made my 2009 a whole lot better...It has been a year of big changes for me and some days I have just wanted to crawl back under the duvet and hide away...but...to actually be asked to contribute to such a great magazine and see my artwork in there amongst so many esteemed crafters has just made me grin like the Cheshire cat!

Anyways...I am off to read the rest of the mag now...it looks like a good one with some fab projects in it too :O))

Hels x

Sunday Stampers - Week 54 - Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

Good Morning Stampers!

First of all, thank you to those of you who managed to join in last week, I saw some amazing artwork as usual.

It has been an eventful week for me :O)) The May issue of Craft Stamper magazine was on the stands this week and I am so chuffed because ... I designed the free cover stamp on the magazine for The Artistic Stamper!!! It is a little birdy with a swirl (called, amazingly enough, The Swirly Bird!!!! ) and I have used the stamp for one of my entries for this weeks challenge, which I bet you have guessed is....birds! There are a few pieces of artwork in the magazine using the Swirly Bird, some by Jennie, some from Katy the Editor and some from me too!!

As well as the cover stamp, I have also designed some more stamps that co-ordinate with the Swirly Bird and there is a special offer in the Craft Stamper for this set of stamps. If you click here, you will be taken to the page on The Artistic Stamper website where you can see the whole plate of stamps, which is A5 in size, and also make a purchase if you would like to take advantage of the offer :O))

For my main entry, I used the new stamps which include flowers, a vine and some little phrases that are actually made in my handwriting!! Eeee, I am soooo excited!! LOL I also used another set of stamps which are also brand new and available from The Artistic Stamper which are different types of Swirly Birds.





Card

I used Cosmo Cricket papers from the Love Notes range, stamping, paper piecing, decoupaging and adding shapes cut from my Nestabilities and then finishing off with a dash of Glossy Accents.




The flowers are two sizes, so I stamped and cut out three of each size and then made sure that I cut right to the middle circle in the design, so each petal was separate. I then used a bone folder and scored a line from the tip to the middle of each petal and then folded the petals up and inwards so they stand out more.





I layered the smaller flower inside the larger one, securing with Glossy Accents and then cut out the large leaf from the A5 plate and popped this behind the flower embellishment. For a finishing touch to the flowers, I used some pale pink pearls that I got in a bumper bag of old and broken jewellry, what a bargain that was and it is so worth keeping hold of stuff like that because it always comes in handy :O))




I used Dusty Concord Distress Ink and blended the cut edges of the papers and flowers to blend them in more and also swiped the Blending Tool around the edge of the card to make it co-ordinate.





ATC

For the ATC, I cut a piece of plain card and then used some fab glossy cardstock that I had faffed about with the other day when Linda came to play. She told me about this fab technique she had seen on Tim's Blog, using droplets of Alcohol Ink and a canister of air - well, I knew Grim had one of those cannister jobbies in his desk drawer so I "borrowed" it so Linda and I could play. If you pop over to Linda's Blog, she has showcased the gorgeous backgrounds she has made using this method, but she is even cleverer and has used a straw - which I think looks even better.




Anyway, enough waffle - the ATC was made using the free cover stamp. It is in two parts, the bird and then a separate swirl, so if you have the mag, please use some sharp scissors and snip the swirl away from the main image, then you have two stamps to play with.




I made a border using the background and popped this onto the ATC, stamped the bird onto the background and cut him out, fiddly but worth it, and then made a little word using a Dymo. Finally, I added a couple of Stitchels flowers, which I have also designed and are also available from The Artistic Stamper, and popped a little DewDrop in the middle.

I hope you like the theme this week - please remember to post a comment here when you have made your piece and leave a link to the place you are showing your stamped project, I can come and visit you then!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Hels x