Wish upon a Star

Hi everyone!

 It is a new Challenge at Our Creative Corner today! Our wonderful Trish is hosting her first ever challenge and she has chosen the perfect seasonal challenge for you....



My challenge to you all this month is a very simple one... 

Stars!

I have a passion for stars. Stars are incorporated into my email addresses, internet log ins, business name and even my tattoos :)
 

I would love for you all to share your creations, full of stars! 

 

Star stamps, star die cuts, star embellishments, star shaped backgrounds, it's up to you! 

Use lots, or just the one, as long as there is a star somewhere, you're good to go!

I can't wait to see all your wonderful creations!

 

 

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Each Christmas I try to find time to make a Christmas wreath but I have never got around to it. This year I had bought a pre cut circle wreath and was determined to make one....

 

Trish's challenge of using stars in our project seemed the perfect inspiration - why not make it entirely of stars?

 

   
I planned to use different size stars, patterns and texture...add some flourishes, fern, holly as added embellishments....

Should I add a splash of colour? At one point I was really tempted to add bright red to it but then I started to really adore the developing colour scheme of ivory, brown and gold...Making this was so much fun!

I knew not much of the circle would be seen, but I wanted the parts that would be seen to be crackled instead of plain.

The circle base was covered with Decoart Americana Acrylics in White Wash. Then a layer of Decoart Crackle Glaze was applied with a spatula. When the Crackle Glaze was dry Decoart Raw Umber Antiquing cream was applied before being wiped away with a damp cloth.

       I cut the stars by hand because I wanted rustic (wonky!) shaped stars rather than each shape be identical. I cut several sizes of stars and covered some with text paper

Some were covered with German Gothic font print

I added some pictures from french dictionary pages

Some were stamped with script

Some were stamped with images

Some were stamped with music 

I embossed some stars and covered them with White Fire Treasure Gold

Some stars were stamped and then covered with embossing powder...

I painted the holly leaves with Decoart Dazzling Metallics Champagne Gold acrylic paint (which is one of the BEST gold paints I have ever used!) and while the paint was wet I sprinkled them with Antique Linen Distress Glitter. It is already a gorgeous sparkling gold paint, but the glitter just added some extra dazzle and a beautifully delicate texture!

I covered the flourishes with Aged Gold Frantage embossing powder - I love that enameled effect

I covered the fern leaves with Aged Ivory Frantage embossing powder

Other foliage was covered with Ground Espresso Distress ink

I also added some holly leaves covered with Ground Espresso Distress ink

I lightly dabbed the edge of each star with Ground Espresso Distress ink before arranging the stars around the wreath.  Different sizes, shapes and colours were arranged randomly to emphasize contrast. I stuck them down layering until I was happy with the result. I added flourishes and foliage to the stars.

 I then added further decoration of 3D plastic stars that had been painted with Decoart Dazzling Metallics Champagne Gold acrylic paint. I must admit I LOVE this paint!....have I mentioned that already?

I covered some Grungeboard letters with gesso then coated with several coats of Decoart Dazzling Metallics Champagne Gold acrylic paint (of course!) This was followed with a coat of crackle glaze followed by Raw Umber Antiquing cream which was wiped away when dry to reveal the crackles. The word 'Noel' was added to the wreath along with an extra star added.

A bow made out of twine ribbon was added

A length of twine added to hang up the wreath

To add the finishing touch of an extra festive sparkle and a snowy, wintery shabby chic effect, I spritzed the entire wreath with Perfect Pearls Spray in Biscotti and some White Linen Dylusions spray.

I finally have my handmade Christmas wreath!

I hope you like it!

Please hop over to Our Creative Corner and see what my talented team have made to inspire you this month...

Why not get Star Struck and enter our Challenge this month!

Our wonderful sponsor this month is

Tando will send a parcel of goodies to the randomly drawn winner - it could be YOU!

You could be our winner and be invited to appear as our Top Talent!

You could be one of our Top 3

Come and shine at Our Creative Corner!

Happy Crafting!
Laura
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Collage Creation

Hi everyone,

    As you may have seen I started to experiment with a photo collage style canvas...I am just having a play around with some techniques and, although I am so far from mastering this style, I am enjoying playing around with it...

I began with a 1920's style photo that I printed up and after deciding where it would be placed (and drawing a guideline around it, I began to ink and spray, use stencils and paints etc to decorate it..

I did some Distress Stain splats with Peeled Paint and Evergreen Bough...I blotted the ink with tissue afterwards as I wanted the colours for this to be quite muted.

 Then I decided to add some spritzing of Dylusion colours using Dirty Martini and Calypso Teal.

Dot fade stencil was used with Picket Fence DP and Black Soot DI

I then began to use some stamping to add some detail and texture...I used a two different stamps - a script and text and using Jet black Archival ink I dabbed the stamps across the canvas.

I then stamped with Picket Fence DP onto the photograph

I added strips of printed tissue and tissue tape alongside where the photo was placed

A chit chat sticker was used edged with Black Soot DI

I added the photo and then decided to add a large metal flower...I brushed the flower with Gesso and when dry I spritzed it with Dylusion inks before gluing an Art Deco style button into the center.

I added two pearl pins to the flower decoration

Hope you like it!

Happy Crafting

Laura xxx

Colour Your World

Hi everyone!

Over at  Our Creative Corner there is a new challenge hosted this month by lovely Laurie!

Color Your World 

Here in the United States we are coming into spring - the season when nature comes

 forth with new life.

Soft green grasses grow in the fields and the trees bloom in glorious colors with the promise of fruit.

Tulips and daffodils emerge from the soil after a long winters nap.

The colors of spring, the sights and sounds of nature at this time of the year renews my soul.

In the spring time the colors of nature are different around the world.

For my challenge this month I want you to

Color Your World

For this challenge create a project with the colors of spring time where you live.

Show us what colors renew your soul

Oh, I was pleased with this!....I adore Spring and I knew exactly what to do. I wanted to use pale blue and green...the colour of sky and grass.

I had a piece of decorated card already sitting waiting to be used in a box that I put all items that fall in to the "That didn't work/to be used another time/what on earth was I thinking?!" category....

I liked what I had made, but it didn't work with the item I was making at the time - I was practicing the Tim Holtz technique of dabbing DI's over a stencil, spritzing with water and then printing onto card.

I had chosen a leaf stencil and using Peacock Feathers and Mown Lawn I made a print...it was lovely but was too bright and I lost interest at that point - so it got put away for another time...

And the time is now!....I got that bright blue and green print out of the box- it was perfect - but I didn't want to go that bright...I think of Spring as muted fresh colours, not 'I need dark glasses' colours...

No problem...a few spritzes of White Linen Dylusions spray (love this stuff!!!) works wonders...it was now very subtle, but the print effect was still there and it also now had the bonus of a chalky paint effect rather than the translucent ink effect

Now to get to work....

I stamped the background with some script, postmark and sewing stamps using Frayed Burlap DI. I then used a sanding block to take the colour off the edge of the card and leave a faded distressed look.

 I decided to use a frame and a photo from the Found Relative set.

 I got a die cut frame and covered it with Decoart Media Gold Acrylic paint. Then I covered it with Decoart One step Crackle glaze. When this was dry I covered it with Raw Umber Antiquing cream. When wiped away it revealed lovely dark crackles.

I then created the flowers...using die-cut flowers I dabbed the edges with Tumbled Glass DI and then spritzed them with White Linen Dylusions spray. I scrunched the flowers up while they were still wet and left them to dry before unraveling them. When dry and crumpled I dabbed then lightly with Frayed Burlap DI. I then constructed the flowers adding my most ornate gold buttons as flower centers. 

I used some ivory die cuts edged with Antique Linen DI and added a crystal bead to the center.

Various die-cut foliage was chosen and I dabbed it all with Peeled Paint DI and stuck it all around the frame

 I then chose to add the title of the challenge to the hanging. I put together the word 'Colour' from Ideology Label Letters and 'your world' came from Chit Chat stickers

I attached ivory coloured eyelets at the top of the hanging and threaded through white organza ribbon.....knotted at the back and leaving it trailing down the sides of the hanging...

And there are my colours of spring.....

Hope you like it!

 Why not come over to Our Creative Corner and see what everyone else has made?!

Join in the challenge this month and you could be the randomly selected winner of the $25 prize voucher that is being donated by our Sponsor this month 

Creative Embellishments

You could be our winner and be invited to appear as our Top Talent. 

You could be one of our Top 3 and be pinned onto the OCC Pinterest board!

     
Remember you gotta be in it to win it!

So come on over to Our Creative Corner and have some fun!

 Happy Crafting!

Laura

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