Altered Art
A bit of me time… tarmacing a frame!

Posted on 10th June 2014 by Neil

I had some ‘me’ time today in between looking after pups, getting ready for tonight’s class and breathing a sigh of relief at meeting another Craftwork Cards sample deadline! I’ve been keen to try out the tarmac technique since coming across it on Karen Clare’s fabulous blog and seeing the stunning results of various Facebook friends who have been to her workshops. It’s amazing how an Ikea mirror, pet food cartons, a bit of acrylic paint and a solid block of tar can be transformed! Unfortunately the photo doesn’t pick up the gleam of the gold metallic paint and Inca Gold which set off the bitumen layer a treat. Definitely a project to be repeated and developed. Loved it!

Card Craft
Father’s Day Card – Just for You (and for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 4th June 2014 by Neil

It’s a seaside and nautical theme this month for the Creative Expressions Design Team with various stamp designs making their debut. This week, I’ve used two designed by Sam Poole, the Creative Expressions Singles ‘Nautical Words’ and ‘Netting’. A quick and simple card, perfect for a last minute Father’s Day card. Or for any special nautical person for that matter!

Continue reading →

Card Craft
Father’s Day Card – Ship in a Bottle (for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 1st June 2014 by Neil

Creative Expressions have produced a myriad of nautical themed stamps ready for the male card recipients in your life – and this is just one, the Creative Expressions Singles Ship in a Bottle stamp set, complete with the Father’s Day sentiment.

For a printable worksheet, including templates for the bottle stand, click here.

Continue reading →

Card Craft
Lilies in a Vase (for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 28th May 2014 by Neil

This is the last of the floral themed creations – we’re going to the seaside next month 🙂

The lilies are out again, this time in a gilded earthenware vase. I’ve used the same reinker watercolour technique as last week for the colouring, but added in the wonderful Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes to add a bit of bling and opulence. I’ve left off a sentiment again as this could be suitable for so many eventualities.

Continue reading →

Design Team Projects
Leicester Top The Table Layout (for Jones Crafts)

Posted on 24th May 2014 by Neil

No apologies here if I have any of the facts wrong. I’m really not a football fan, let alone a No.1 Fan, but when working with Good Ol’ Sport papers from Graphic 45 for Jones Crafts, I had to come up with another idea. And what better sporting achievement to immortalise in scrapbook form?

I swiped thinned gesso over the background and splattered some more, drying before I edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I used my Silhouette Cameo and Connect plugin for Illustrator to convert the crest into a cut file and cut it from the papers. Unfortunately, my transfer paper was a tad too sticky and removed the printed layer in places. I think it lends an athletic sports fashion distress finish, so coloured the torn bits with a mix of Faded Jeans / Stormy Sky / Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks. The fox head is coloured with Scattered Straw / Mustard Seed Distress Inks. Add the rest of the elements from the coordinating chipboard die cuts, die cuts and stickers, and embellish with soluble black pencil for shadows.

Oh the challenges of working on a design team with themes that really don’t come naturally!

3D Projects
Good Ol’ Sport ATC Book (for Jones Crafts)

Posted on 22nd May 2014 by Neil

I must apologise for the lull in creating with the Graphic 45 Good Ol’ Sport papers for Jones Crafts. As you might be able to fathom from the images above, I had a bit of design hiccup – it’s all very well coming up with ideas, but then working out how to make them work can take a little longer!

I started by covering the Graphic 45 ATC Book with the papers, before making the fold out grandstand, edging with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Next came the bunting, die cut pieces glued to some butcher’s twine and glued in at the edges so that it can swing backwards into the box when the drop down section is closed up. I then created the grandstand, using kraft card to which I affixed the front paper ribbon and more of the chipboard die cuts on the front tier. The rest of the cut outs are tabbed at the back with hinges allowing the items to fold forward as the whole section folds back up. A few pieces of cotton thread acts as the support and pulls everything into place as the grandstand is lowered.

Finally I used an Idea-ology fastener with grungepaper strip to make the closure, sewing it onto the back cover by drilling holes through the strap and the back cover. And just to prove it all works:

Card Craft
Mixed Bouquet in a Vase (for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 21st May 2014 by Neil

Here’s another floral number using this month’s featured Singles stamps from Creative Expressions. I’ve coloured these with the distress reinker watercolour technique onto watercolour paper, and embellished with a bit of decoupage to add depth and a Watts-dots circular border 🙂

Continue reading →

3D Projects
More showtime for Craftwork Cards…

Posted on 20th May 2014 by Neil

Earlier this month, I was busy creating with the cracking new paper kits from Craftwork Cards: Paper Couture, Al Fresco and Harbour Boulevard. Most of the samples I made featured in the inspirational studio display for the One Day Wonder on Create & Craft TV along with the other DT creations – and one is included in the Paper Couture inspiration instruction sheets exclusive to C&C. More making details are over on the Craftwork Cards blog if you’d like them, but here’s a gallery of the pieces I made:

I have some templates available to make the dress form, which were prepared for the CWC workshop in April that had to be withdrawn. Click on the ‘Templates’ tab above to go to an order page. I also hope to film an online class as my first for my new improved blog, so keep watching this space!

Altered Art
A Tale of Two Crackles – Part Two (for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 14th May 2014 by Neil

As I mentioned last week, I’ve been playing with some crackle effect mediums over the past months. Last week I showed you the two-step Craquelure, new from Cosmic Shimmer. This week: Cosmic Shimmer Crackle Glaze. This is a single step crackle medium which you paint over the base colour which forms the crack colour. The top coat is then painted over the top when dry in the opposite direction, and in the colour that will be cracking. Here’s the result when Antique Linen Distress Paint is cracked over Cosmic Shimmer Mulled Wine Matt Chalk Paint.

Continue reading →

About me
I’ve migrated…

Posted on 9th May 2014 by Neil

I’ve migrated this blog to a so called self-hosted site – and you’ve reached the new improved version. If you find any glitches, or things missing, please let me know!

A list of workshops held at my purpose-built studio is available here.
Connect to me at The Studio on Facebook by clicking here.

New benefits:

Pinterest hover buttons added – quicker way to add an image to Pinterest – hold your cursor over an image and then click on the Pin it button that pops up in the top left. Most images should work.
Sidebar added to single page posts – making it easier for those directly linking to a post to navigate round the rest of the blog and also to see the subscribe options.
Continuous scrolling on home page – as you get to the bottom of the page, more posts will load, just like a Facebook newsfeed.
Added related posts feed – at the bottom of individual posts, including pictures, so that you can more easily find inspiration.
Updated font – to make text more readable on screen.
Custom page header images – just because I can and it looks pretty 😉
Instant Digital Download capability – now you can get instant access to digital downloads, no more time zone issues or waiting for me to send a link
New Workshop Calendar added to side bar – just click on the title to go to the workshop information and booking page.
Google AdSense advertising added – to support hosting costs – please let me know if you find any inappropriate adverts!