Book of Secrets volumes 2 to 4

Book of Secrets 2, 3 and 4!

 A few weeks ago we had our monthly crafty get-together, and the girls decided that they wanted to have a go at the Book of Secrets. My niece Lorna wanted me to make her one as she thought it looked quite Harry Potter-ish so I was quite happy to do another one.

Volume 2 - mine(for Lorna)

 It was a bit difficult trying to explain dry-brush techniques - what do you mean load up the paintbrush with paint then take most of it off???  Bibi and Sam did pick up the technique really well - although Sam wasn't happy with hers but I thought they both turned out really fantastic.

Volume 3 - Bibi's (No pink!)

Volume 4 -  Sam's

Spine - gesso texture

 I also had a go at one of Linda's CCC2 at Studio L3, but of course didn't get it done in time to upload :)

Studio L3 challenge - creative core'dinations

This one was the creative core'dinations technique found on page 61 of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities volume 2.  Love the texture fades with the core'dinations paper.

Creative Expressions Design Team Call Challenge - Texture

Note to self - enter Creative Expressions DT Challenge

I found the Design team call via a link in Facebook and thought I'd enter. I would so love to be part of a design team and feel this would be a great challenge for me try different styles and techniques.

The Design Team Call Challenge is to create a project which features texture in some form.

I decided to create an altered canvas, using a box canvas as a shadow box frame.

Lots of different techniques in this, embossed cardstock, dry brush paint techniques, handmade honeycomb balloons, packing tape image transfer, stamping,

Dirigibles

Below are some in progress pictures of the steps I took to create my textured canvas shadow box, and some close-up details.  Hope you like it - wish me luck!

The Tarabotti receptacle(steampunked bin!)

Inspired by Andy Skinner Book of Secrets workshop

 Ok, so who stole Summer?? Seem to be having some strange  weather here in London, sun one minute, real sudden downpours, cold winds - no wonder I've been suffering with flu for the past week :(

Emma & Lorna

Had  visit from my sister Pauline, niece Lorna and her friend Emma at the beginning of the month, so we did some touristy stuff(between dodging downpours) 

Cake shop China Town

Phonebox Covent Garden

Not your normal type of butterfly!

oo-lala

V&A

How to tie a cravat(not!)

just dandy

Lorna's home from home :)

Emma introduced me to a new author, Gail Carriger, who writes steampunk books with werewolves, vampires and preternatuarls, I've just finished the first book of the Parasol Protectorate and started on the second - thanks Emma!  I was inspired by the book and the Andy Skinner Book of Secrets workshop
to steampunk an MDF bin I'd bought at Ally Pally.

Book of Secrets

Step 1 - base embossed card

I tried to take photo's of each stage, starts off with embossed card, die cut cogs, gears, watch parts and embellishments.

Step 2 - black gesso

 Second step is to paint everything in black gesso

Step 3 - burnt umber

 Step 3 - add some burnt umber for metal look

Step 4 - faux metal paint finish 

Step 4 - layer various colours to give an antiqued metal finish.  I'd highly recommend doing Andy Skinner's workshop, his website is http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/

It was Lorna's birthday and as she's interested in photography too thought it was the ideal opportunity to use my new Tim Holtz vintage camera die - lucky girl got a new camera for her birthday from her mum & dad - but she does need it for school.

Tim Holtz tags of 2012 - June and pack up your troubles...

TH 12 tags of 2012 - June, hand tinted photo
 

 June's technique on Tim Holtz tag for this month is hand tinting black and whitef old  photos with distress ink.  I love the look of old photos using this technique!  I used a photo of my mum taken when she was wee - not sure how old she was in this.

detail - distressed flower 

I haven't got round to doing May's tag yet but will at some point.  Sunday was our latest crafty get together at Bibi's this time. We worked on altering suitcases this time. I did something different from my usual grungy distresses dark style - still distressed with Paperartsy crackle medium and fresco paints but a softer, more girly look.  Bibi even did something different - not pink this time(but still had to have some bling - wouldn't be Bibi without a bit of sparkle)

Pack up your troubles in an altered suitcase

yvonne's

Bibi's

Sam's

I also made a minibook to go inside (even though I said I wasn't going to Bibi!)  Found these 7 Gypsies book covers I'd bought on my first Tim Holtz cruise - got them on a trip to Absolutely Everything  in Boston so decided to use them. Cut and tore some watercolour paper, coloured with distress stains and stamped with some lovely Anna Griffin stamps that were a present from Bibi & Sam.

Also made a quick Fathers Day card using the Tim Holtz balloon stamp, crafters workshop raindrop stencil, gelatos and distress stains.  Got the card idea from the Artistic Stampers design team blog - and I've been asked to be a guest designer for them in October  - so excited!

We heart Panpastels

Hearts and Flowers - Yvonne's

We've been having some beautiful weather here in London and we should really have been out in the sunshine yesterday, but instead Bibi and I went to Sam's for one of our crafty Sunday afternoon's.

I've been really loving panpastels so Sam and Bibi wanted to do a project using them, and we decide to do a canvas board.

Hearts - Sam's

We did get out into the sun for a wee while - when we went outside to spray fixative on our canvases :)

Imagine hearts - Bibi's

I think they did an incredible job and they all turned out really fantastic.

Compendium of Curiosities 2, Challenge 6

Technique 6 - Tissue Wrap Collage

Linda from Studio L3 has set another great challenge this week from Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities volume 2, the technique is on page 38.  This week the challenge has been sponsored by The Funkie Junkie

I used the Moments movers and shapers die, tissue wrap, Wendy Vecchi and Lynne Parella stamps, panpastels, washi tape, distress inks, stains and glass bead gel.

tissue wrap collage

Compendium of Curiosities 2, Challenge 5 and more panpastel love

Managed to spend find some time to take part in Linda of L3 Studio's CCC2 Challenge 5, you can find it here
CCC2 No.5  The technique, Shattered Stains,  can be found on page 48 of Tim's new book.

Shattered Stains fridge magnet

detail - shattered stains

I decided to make a fridge magnet instead of a tag this time, stamped wings on grungeboard, created an acrylic heart charm and die cut some cogs.  Simon Says Stamp are sponsoring this weeks challenge.

I'm still totally loving my panpastels, I now have 21!  My tools are kind of all over the place, so when I spotted a wooden cigar box in the market  for £2.00 I thought it would make the perfect storage for my Sofft tools.

altered cigar box - inside

I used Tim Holtz kraft resist paper to line the partitions in the box, panpastel works really well on this too.
I liked the illustration on the inside of the box so ripped the centre from the TH tissue paper and peeled it back to reveal it, then coloured with distress stains.

altered cigar box - lid

I covered the lid with dressmaking tissue paper, then stencilled the heart, added shading and modelling paste dandelions.

modelling paste border

Used a Dylsuions stencil to add a modelling paste border to the sides.