T'was the Night...

...before Christmas.

The Groovi plate class on Saturday was super but very busy - so much to do and the time just flew.

I did manage to get all 10 plates embossed and almost finished the first one.

This was Joanne's first page of her book...

 ...and looked fabulous.
This was my first page coloured and awaiting perforating...

...which I have now done and the glitter has been applied. The gems haven't yet been added and it has yet to be mounted on CS - but I'm getting there LOL

I have booked myself in for a couple of extra workshops so that I can get a few more of the pages completed whilst the other ladies do all their amazing parchment work.

Joanne's completed pages are wonderful and I will be happy if mine look half as good.

I somehow don't think I'm going to have this completed for this Christmas...............................

More Deco style...

...for Christmas.

A recent issue of "Simply Cards and Papercrafting" had this wonderful embossing folder as part of its freebie...

...and with a bit of cutting out it was very easy to make it dimensional. Another pass through, embossing this time onto black mirri created the front door...

 ...and the Christmas tree die-cut is one of the dies from a recent Spellbinders set of two Deco style trees. The wreath was created using silver mirri and the pearl CS that was used for the main part of the card. It was die-cut using the Sue Wilson "Cape Daisy" from Creative Expressions...

 ...and the background was embossed using one of the Texture embossing folders from Crafter's Companion - I think it is call Dry stone wall or something similar.
A bit of matting & layering and a torn piece of card to create the effect of snow...

...and  there we have it - the finished card. It doesn't have a sentiment on it at the moment as I will decide upon the one to use once I've decided who will get the card.

There are still a couple of Deco items to show you from the workshop so do stop by again to see what else Andy (Pinnacle Crafts) had lined up for us.......................................................

Getting my...

...GROOVI on.

I have said before, I love Parchment craft but I am not a 'Parcher' - I don't have the patience. However, when Barbara Grey brought out the GROOVI plates I thought here was something that I could do as I used to enjoy light-box embossing and over recent months I've acquired a plate or three and a few parchment tools. I've only dabbled but I've enjoyed what I've done and surely that is one of the main reasons to craft - to enjoy it.

Joanne Pearson teaches parchment craft at Pinnacle Crafts and she mentioned that she was having a GROOVI plate lesson. I booked a place and Saturday was the day.

Starting off with a selection of plates and tools...

 ...as you can see here (Platemate, Holly border, nested shape and a winter scene plate) and using some parchment paper...

 ...some glitter paper and a few water-based pens. This is what I came up with...

 ...a Winter scene of my own making. This is where the fun of using the GROOVI plates is, because you can mix & match plates taking bits from different designs to create the effect you are aiming for.

I think if I do this scene again, I will make the snowy areas a bit 'whiter'.

My second piece was a mix of a frame plate, lettering from the Platemate...

...and a mix of snowflakes from the Winter plates that I got last year (just before Christmas).

This piece isn't finished as I need to add some sparkle.

Both pieces were "cut out" using an edging tool - first time I had tried this. I wouldn't say that my edges were the neatest but it was fun learning something new.

I may not have been the most productive individual there but I did enjoy the day - thank you Joanne, it was interesting doing something outside of my normal comfort zone..........................................

Here is the last...

...of Saturday's projects.

This one involved embossing folders and gilding wax.

First up, a recent DoCrafts embossing folder was used on some black CS...

 ...it is a Celtic ring frame. After applying Autumn Bronze and Graceful Peach gilding wax (Creative Expressions) the ring was cut out.

The texture embossing folders from Crafter's Companion have been out for a while but the dry stone wall pattern is still one of my favourites...

 ...an aperture was cut in a piece of 8x8 CS before being embossed and then waxed. Here is a closer photo that shows the detail a little better...

...and as you can see, the Celtic ring was adhered to the CS as a frame to the aperture.

A bit of matt & layering to construct the card...

 ...some miri and a bit of die-cutting...

...and there you have it.

With this project, there was actually texture in the form of the embossing but it is the colour applied in the form of the gilding wax that makes this visible.

Andy's workshops at Pinnacle Crafts are always fun and there is normally something new to learn or a reminder about a technique that we may not have used for a while. Thank you Andy for another super day.

I'm looking forward to seeing what workshops Andy has planned next.

This coming weekend is my friend Hilary's parchment workshop so we will meet up for lunch and a natter and then the following weekend is Easter - which means a four-day club member's weekend at Pinnacle Crafts. A whole four days to take advantage of the 30% discount that club members get on the last complete weekend of each of the odd numbered months throughout the year (Jan, Mar, May etc.). I've already started my shopping list LOL

At home I am crafting with colour & texture - I am crocheting some blanket/throws in pretty Spring shades of random coloured yarn. If I get some decent light, I'll show you what I've been up to..............................................................................

Embossing powder...

...and bleach.

This was project number two from Saturday's workshop.

The base decorated layer for the card was created by stamping the butterflies randomly over the surface with Versamark...

...the sprinkling with black embossing powder & heating. The background card was the vibrant green you see here so you may be wondering how the 'colouring' on the butterflies was achieved. That's where the bleach comes in. Using a very fine paintbrush and some thick household bleach, the parts of the image without embossing were carefully painted - I say 'carefully' as just slapping the bleach all over will dull the embossing.

So now you are wondering about the 'texture' - after all, the workshop was "Colour & Texture".

Some additional butterflies were stamped, embossed and bleached...

...on a spare piece of card. Then as you can see here...

 ...they were carefully cut out and curled.

A bit of matt & layering to create the card...

...and the cut out butterflies were attached to the 3 'whole' butterflies. This next photo shows the card slightly from the side...

...and you can see the raised effect but the next phot with the card laying down...

 ...really shows of the depth & texture.

Just as a little finishing touch...

...the bodies of the butterflies were accented with some mini self-adhesive gems.

I have to say, this is the first time that I have 'painted' with bleach - I've stamped onto dark CS in the past using bleach instead of an ink pad - but this was quite a different effect and one that you can control quite a lot. If you want to create the effect of shading, just let the first 'bleaching' dry then paint over the areas that you want paler with another layer of bleach.

It was at this time we had a break for lunch so Hilary & I headed to the café - Mediterranean Chicken on Rice and pressed Apple & Raspberry juice to wash it down...yummy.

We then headed back for the final project of the day - which I'll show you another time........................................................................

Steampunk...

...from a different perspective.

(Photo heavy so settle down with a cuppa)

Saturday 6 February was the first Andy Pearson workshop of 2016 and with all the madness that has been going on at work and with Mum, this was a break that I NEEDED - 5.5hours of not having to think or worry about anything other than cutting a piece of paper straight or getting the 'sandwich' right for some die-cutting & embossing.

Now most folk will think of Steampunk as being Industrial & Grungy but our first make of the day threw that notion to the wind.

For speed, Andy had cut a tub full of cogs from pretty pale aqua card. Our first job was to make two borders from these cogs that would be used as a raised embellishment on the finished card...

 ...Having marked the required length on a piece of paper, I put together my borders using Cosmic Shimmer PVA glue (Creative Expressions) and put them to one side to dry.
The main panel for the front of the card was embossed with an 8x8 embossing folder...

 ...covered in clocks & pocket watches. This was matted onto silver miri and then onto a larger square of the aqua card.
After a session of die-cutting clock faces, hands and a few leaves...

 ...the card was constructed with the help of some PinFlair Gel and some bronze coloured metal gems.

The second make of the day was a bit of more traditional Steampunk.

Three panels of black CS were embossed with more clocks (I also used brickwork on one of my panels) and then gilding wax was applied - Decadent Teal was the shade I used on my panels...

 ...the loose cogs were waxed with Mink to give a contrast and the embossed panels were then matted onto some silver miri.
This was the finished result...

...and will offered to a friend who asked me to make a card for her husband (great timing).

The last project of the day was a giftbox/cracker box made to look like metal.

Starting with plain black CS, the various pieces were die-cut...

 ...waxed and assembled. The cracker box is a Tonic die and the cogs panel was a strip die (I think it was from Cheery Lyn) that we cut to size. I used Pumpkin and Mink gilding waxes to colour my piece so that it had an 'aged' and 'rusty' look to it.
The box was finished off with some wooden leaves, jute string and burlap butterflies...

...some of the cogs also got a few silver pearls added to make it look like bolts.

 So the three projects were...

 ...quite different. A quite straight forward bit of...

 ...embossing & waxing using darkish colours. A very clean (but not simple) effect...

 ...using pale colours and not a bit of wax or ink in sight. Then the last piece...

...lots of texture and shading making CS look like something else.

A fabulous day.

Pinnacle Crafts have weekday lessons every week and weekend workshops on a regular basis so if you live within access, check out what is available.

Thank you Andy for a wonderful 'playday'.......................................................................

A birthday treat...

...because I couldn't wait.

Yes, yes, I know...

The weekend of 27th November is Members Weekend at Pinnacle Crafts but I couldn't wait - I wanted to play.

So a new corner punch and a Groovi plate jumped into my basket and came home with me...

...I just fell in love with the lamp-post. Isn't it lovely.
Here is my first effort using the new plate...

...I've added shading to the oval to give a more defined frame and the lamp-post has received a bit of shading too. I'm not sure if the background needs something else but at this point I'm going with the "less is more" attitude so that I don't ruin it.

This aspect of parching I can just about cope with and I actually find it quite relaxing - just like colouring in. So there will probably be a few more cards using these designs on this year's Christmas cards.

Have you tried a new craft this year?

Will it be appearing on your Christmas crafting?..................................................................

A Parcher...

...I will never be.

I have been dabbling in parchment craft since falling in love with some of the Groovi plate designs but a full-blown parcher I will never be.

I am enjoying my 'play' with the embossing plates and when I had a free Parchment magazine with one of my papercraft mags, I thought I'd have a bash at something a little more complicated (???) as there were some lovely designs.

So armed with a white pencil, I traced off the design from the pattern in the mag and set to...

 ...as you can see, I've made a start and will probably be pleased with the finished piece...

...but I'm not sure I'll be going the whole hog and doing all the fancy stuff around the edges (we'll have to wait and see on that bit). The shading is coming along nicely but it isn't perfect and that is annoying me a bit as I want it to look better.

Patience was never a strong point of mine LOL

I will finish this but will probably adapt bits of the design because I can't see me getting much further than the shading.

I adore parchment work but I think I'll leave the masterpieces to Joanne (Pinnacle crafts) and my friend Hilary.................................................................................

On a bit of a roll...

...with this Groovi plate stuff.

I've been trying different colours of parchment paper and I have to say that for me, some colours work better than others (red hasn't been too successful so far).

I tried the circular vine on normal parchment paper and then again on teal...

...I also shaded the leaves and am quite pleased with how this has turned out.

The plate that got me started on this slippery slope was this Christmas tree...

...on the right is the basic image and on the left is the same thing in a circular frame with a bit of shading & colouring using Distress markers.

I have some pretty mint coloured pearl paper & CS that I think I'm going to try with the tree. If all goes to plan I'll show you the outcome.............................................................

I'm still...

...having fun with the Groovi plates.

I just wanted to have a 'play' and see what I came up with.

Using the nesting squares I created a frame and then added the fir bough from the Christmas border plate...

 ...adding some bauble from the same plate. You can tell I've been watching some YouTube videos...

...because I even had a go at perforating and snipping. Think I need to add some shading before I consider adding colour to this one.

I love the Snowflake and Christmas words set of plates.

As shown in a previous post, I've actually completed a card using these plates but wanted to have another 'play' to see what variations I could come up with...

...but at the moment I'm still shading. I've also decided to do some more of the baubles with a view to cutting them out and using them as embellies on some of my Christmas cards. Because they are on parchment paper they are thin and wont add too much bulk to the cards that need to be posted.

I'm finding these plates quite therapeutic - rather like colouring-in. So I'm sure there will be more on the way........................................................................

I recently mentioned...

...that I had obtained some Groovi Plates.

I saw this plate used in a magazine feature about the Groovi plates and loved what had been done...

 ...so this (and the other snowflake plate) came home with me on a recent visit to Pinnacle Crafts.

Let me say here and now, I do not think I will ever be a skilled parchment crafter. I think I am too impatient and too heavy handed but I do enjoy playing with these plates.

Using a piece of Ice blue parchment paper this is what I managed to create...

 ...I used a larger ball-tool to shade the white on the words, snowflakes and circles...

...and coloured areas with a Distress Marker (I used Blueprint sketch). The parchment was trimmed and mounted onto a matt of ice blue pearl paper. So that the glue would not be visible, I added some white Glitterations stickers (circles and snowflakes) so that the dots of glue could go behind them. A piece of the pearl paper was placed down the spine of the card and a few stickers added to help match in with the main panel on the card.

The work was not perfect in any way but I was very pleased with my first attempt.

I now have the Plate Mate and a few more design plates, so will be having a bit more of a play.

I have completed (and shaded) one of the Christmas trees - I just have to decide how I am going to use it on a card.....................................................................................

The Owl...

...and the Pussy cat.

I found this stamp a few weeks ago when I was looking for something else (isn't always the way) and got a bit side-tracked.

After inking up the stamp and printing it, I sat down with my Copics and this was the result...

.

...not sure what I'm going to do with it but it is another coloured image to add to the pile.

By the way, I did treat myself to another few Groovi plates so I'm having some fun playing around with those at the moment - might even watch a couple more Barbara Grey YouTube videos (much better quality than trying to watch on Hochanda).

Have a crafty day........................................................

Getting my...

..."Groovi" on.

My friend Hilary does Parchment work and so does Joanne (Pinnacle Crafts) and I have always been in awe of their creations - but this has been a craft that I have not ventured into as I would want finished results too quickly and parch-craft takes time/skill/patience.

However, I have recently seen the "Groovi" plates from Clarity, hanging on the wall with all the parchment tools & plates and this one caught my eye...

...I have picked this Christmas tree up several times over recent weeks only to put back on the peg each time.

This weekend was "Member's weekend" at Pinnacles - 30% off crafting goodies for club members and yet again I was drawn to this lace tree...I even sat and watched some Barbara Grey videos on YouTube. What struck me was the similarity to the dry embossing that I used to do when I first started scrapbooking (in the days before all the wonderful die-cutting machines and dies). I would sit with my light-box and metal stencils and make my own embossed panels to use as embellishments.

So you will not be surprised to hear that a pack of parchment paper and this plate jumped into my basket.

That was on Friday.

When I got home from my shopping trip, I set to locating my fine embossing tools only to finally remember that I gave them away with some of my metal stencils. All the ball-tools I have now are larger in design for use with score boards and the like.

Back to Pinnacles on Saturday morning to add some fine metal ball-tools to my crafting stash.

I decided to go with the Pergamano ones as they have a comfortable grip that I thought would be more suitable for me.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this and found the concentration very soothing (a bit like grown-up colouring in).

I do not have the "Plate-mate" and my first attempt was not perfect as I didn't tape my parchment down very well but my second go was much better and I was very pleased with the result.

I don't think Joanne will see me joining her parchment classes any time soon as I'm not sure I could do all the pricking & cutting but this embossing part of the process is great and I think I could be adding a few more plates to my collection.

Oh no! More stash........................................................................

It was Farmer's Market Day this Saturday...

...but I was heading somewhere else.

Andy Pearson (Pinnacle Crafts) was holding a demo day to give folk some ideas about making cards for those awkward folk.

You know the ones...the Fellas!

Andy had the usual selection of samples dotted about but one of the main aspects of the day was sharing techniques that can easily be used for those more masculine creations.

 

Trying to catch a good photo of Andy is not the easiest of things to do...

 ...he has a habit of moving just as you click your camera (another shot of the back of a project LOL).
One of the samples on the table was this candy box...

 ...although the panels look like they are embossed, they are actually die-cuts that have been coloured with gilding wax after having been stuck to some same coloured CS using spray adhesive. The Candy box was made using the WeRMemory Keepers Punch board.
Now there is one thing that Andy loves to do and that is get messy. So it wasn't long before the alcohol inks put in an appearance...

 ...a few squirts of different inks...

 ...some blending solution and some sheets of acetate 'squidged' down over the top...

 ...an additional colour added...

 ...and this is what you end up with when held against white CS...

 ...quite abstract but perfect to add to your stash for use as backgrounds at a later date.
If you are wondering what this is...

 ...it is the scrap that Andy had been using to take off the excess ink before applying to the embossed piece of card that you can see underneath. The reason for the petal/leaf shapes is because Andy was using a Creative Expressions Smoothie (egg-shaped latex sponge) to apply the ink. The audience were obviously impressed with these sponges because a considerable stock on the wall down in the shop was completely gone before the day was out.
There are always sweets on Andy's demo desk. At the other end of the table were imperial mints...

 ...but right in front of me was a bowl of wine gums - I did try to be good.
Considering how hot it was on Saturday, the classroom area was pleasantly cool for most of the time...

...although I'm sure Andy was pretty warm with the sun right on his back all day.

It was a super day. Lots of ideas and reminders of techniques not used for a while. A bit of retail therapy and lunch and a catch-up chat with my friend Hilary.

Thanks Andy for all your hard work....................................................................