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Welcome everyone, I hope to inspire you and share some of my papercraft work. You can find out where I teach and what I am up to, what inspires me and what I am working on next. I love to share new ideas and neat ways of adding creativity to your pages or cards etc

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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Couture Creations 2



Magnolia Lane
Layout 
By Sue Smyth



Hi Bloggers
Today I am sharing a sweet layout, using Magnolia 
Lane papers and embellishments.



I really wanted to share how beautiful and versatile 
the bling pack is.


And also how the papers are fantastic for 
fussy cutting.


The generous rhinestone and pearl 
swirls, make the perfect accent to the 
corners of the photo.


Once I have fussy cut the flowers, I have 
adhered them with 3 D foam tape for 
a wonderful dimensional effect.


Don't be afraid to snip up your rhinestone
swirls to suit your layout, you can 
easily remove any pearls or rhinestones
you do not want and use them in other places.



The gorgeous cabochons, sit perfectly in the smallest
scalloped oval die cut. Sometimes I like to 
add a little metallic gold paint to the edges of the oval to
frame the cabochon like a trinket  


Step 1
I like to adhere my patterned paper to a 12 x 12 chipboard
sheet to make it sturdy and durable.
Then to add to the shabby appeal, splot
gold, vintage pink and teal spray mists
across the area you will place the photo.

Step 2
Trim out 2 of the postcards, distress edges and blend
Victorian Velvet around the edges too. When you 
are happy adhere them to the background, layering
over top of each other.


Step 3
Snip up the rhinestone swirls, do not remove
from the acetate backing, until you are really 
ready to adhere them in place.

Step 4
I like adhere all my fussy cut pieces to 
scrap cardstock first, roughly
cut the image you want, then adhere to 
scrap card with a glue stick. Then go
ahead and fussy cut the image with
cardstock adhered.

Step 5
This then creates a sturdy image that can
be affixed with 3 D foam tape. It prevents
sagging and tearing and give the images impact.


Step 6
Arrange all of your elements around and under you photo
before adhering down, play with placement, until you
are happy. I like to take 
a photo with my phone then, to use as a 
reference for placing each layer in 
exactly the same way.


Ultimate Crafts Products 
C0724633 Couture Creations Snow White 3 mm pearls 



Happy Crafting!




Monday, March 21, 2016

Imaginarium post

Altered bottle and 
Captured Canvas 
by Sue Smyth 




Hi all
Today I am sharing a new project, altered bottles!
Yes I know the idea of altering bottles 
has been around for a while.
But with all of the new products around these
days and of course Imaginarium Chipboard 
you can really glam them up.


I have altered Imagninarium chipboard butterflies
to sit on the front of the bottle.



In keeping with my bug theme this year,
I have altered a plastic bug to place on the
centre of the butterflies


The rest of the bottle surface is altered with
layers of paint, and crackle.
See below for a step by step.


I also wanted to do another version with a 
window in it to see a 
butterfly vignette inside.
To alter the butterflies I have
used the same techniques used
in my February post 


And I have altered a foam craft bird to side 
cheekily on top.


You can see the altered butterfly nestling
inside the bottle on 
a bed of spanish moss.


The finished bottle



To altered the bottle, first  paint
with black gesso and allow to dry.


Then paint with crackle medium
I have used Viva Facetten-Lack here.
A little tip, it will dry much much quicker 
if put in front of a fan on full speed!!!

In this instance I have used a bottle that 
has an existing raised pattern
to form a nice background.

Then paint
with Teal Dylusions acrylic paint.
Use a foam brush to paint, so you 
do not get the paint into the cracks, as 
you want them to stay black.

Now rub over 
with Inka Gold paints, gold, turquoise and purple.
Keep layering until you are happy with the look.
I have sometimes added a spritz of a turquoise 
glimmer mist too, to help the mediums blend.


To add glitter to the stopper and rim


Cover the area you want glittered with Dimensional Magic
and dip into a pot of gold glitter.
Wipe off the excess so the stopper
can still be inserted properly.


Use rubber bands to adhere the chipboard 
to the curve of the bottle.
When dry simply snip the off !

I have added 3 mm pearls and 2mm rhinestones to the neck
of the bottle with a little dab of extra glue.


Captured Canvas


Next I have created a small canvas with the 
same layered butterfly effect as above.


I have started with a 20 x 20 cm chipboard square
which I have then covered with a layer of gel medium and paper towel.



The chipboard butterfly has Bo bunny glitter pasted added to it 
and allowed to dry. See below for a step by step.
Then I have layered over an acetate butterfly
for colour and a vial filled with seed beads and a 
tiny butterfly bead.
Use a little dimensional magic
squirted into the vial to keep
the beads stable.


I love the cicada, spray paint or apply black gesso 
to a plastic bug. then when dry
rub over with gold paint and coloured
inka gold mediums. 
keep working until you are happy with the result.
A little tip, use 2 or more colours on the one bug for 
a rainbow effect


I have done the same thing to a little resin face
I made myself.


The large clock is embossed with gold embossing powder
then a row of gold rhinestones is adhered to the 
outer edge


Wrap black fibres around the vial, when
all the glue is dry.

I have also used many filigree metal trinkets for 
a lovely layered effect 


Once the turquoise Bo Bunny glitter paste is dry
apply the Flitter glue, smearing over
each wing.



Apply your choice of Mega Flakes.



Remove the excess Mega Flakes with a scourer. 


Add purple glitter to the top, for extra sparkle.

Imaginarium Chipboard 



Happy Crafting !