Embroidery

Hello Friends

I am back with a project for AALL & Create.  I wanted to do something a little different with stamps other than stamping and colouring, and so I created some embroidered projects.  I have not embroidered for years and really enjoyed the process.

I used three stamp sets by Tracy Evans...

I don't have too many process shots to share with you because I just got lost in the process.

I cut some calico larger than the embroidery hoop, stamped the images with Archival ink and then stitched the images with embroidery thread, using the hoop to keep the calico taut.  Once completed I removed the calico from the hoop, added a running stitch around the calico and added it back to the hoop.  As I wanted to leave each project on the hoop, I gathered the calico to the back and added a piece of card to tidy the backing.  I painted each of the outer hoops and applied these to the inner hoops.

The bee is the first one I completed.  After stamping and stitching the honeycomb, I filled the honeycomb in with watercolour pencils.  I did the same with the bee wings and gave them a touch of glitter to give them a lighter appearance.

The hare body is quite open and I was able to use long stitches to fill him in.

The final hoop is a beetle.  It took a few colours to complete the beetle and I really enjoyed creating this one.  Well, in truth, I enjoyed creating each of them, I am not the greatest embroiderer but I found it quite a relaxing task in the evenings - it only took an evening to complete each one.

You can find a list of worldwide stockists for all of the stamps I used HERE.

That's all for now, thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again soon.  Actually, I am back earlier next week with a very special project.....

Hugs, Anne xx

Vintage Typewriter

Hello Friends

I hope you are all well, we are into our 19th week of lockdown here, strangely enough it just feels like the norm now and I am not anxious to go out anytime soon!

My Guest designer project this week for AALL & Create has a vintage vibe to it.

I used two of Bipasha's beautiful stamp sets - Time Out #325, Janet Klein's Background Noise #338 together with the Abundance Stencil #85 by Olga Heldwein.

I started by creating the background using Distress Oxide inks and the wrinkle free technique.  I covered the stencil with Seedless Preserves, spritzed it and applied it to the background.  This left a lovely delicate pattern.

I stamped the typewriter image onto white card and used an edging die to create the torn page look.

I stamped and fussy cut the typewriter again and also stamped the wording from stamp set #338, to use in the typewriter.

I gave the page and the note for the typewriter a vintage look with Distress Ink in Gathered Twigs.

I layered up the typewriter, added it to the page and then some corrugated card and fixed it to the background.  To finish off the card, I added the sentiment from my stash.

Worldwide stockists for the stamps and stencil I used are listed on the AALL & Create website HERE.

As always, thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again next week.

Hugs, Anne xxx

The Life of the Bee...

Hello Friends

I hope you are still staying safe and well in these crazy times.  I had a week off from doing projects as Guest designer for AALL & Create so I could concentrate on making samples for Tracy Evans' Hochanda shows..  

I am sharing the 'how to' for one of those projects today.  It has been shown on Facebook already but I have had several requests for more detail...  The idea originated from a tin I saw on Pinterest a while back. The beautiful bee is from Tracy's newly released Honeybee stamp set #330.

And here is the inside of the tin...

I condensed the photos so as not to make the post too long.  I used the products below, along with the AALL & Create Cells die by Bipasha BK.

1.  Take a piece of card 11" x 1.3/4" and score at 1/4" intervals, scoring on the 1.3/4" side.

2.  Glue along the long side to form a long honeycomb shape.

3.  Once the glue is dry, cut the shape into 1/4" pieces.

4.  Join the pieces together to form a honeycomb shape.

5.  Use black gesso on the inside of the tin.

6.  Stamp the honeycomb from Tracy's Honeybee stamp set onto tissue paper.

7.  Paint the top of the tin, and the reverse side of the stamped tissue with Fresco paint in Haystack. 

8.  Line the inside front of the tin and the sides of the bottom half of the tin with book pages.  I used pages from a vintage book (The Life of the Bee), paint with watered down Haystack paint and splatter with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to add to the 'aged' look.

9.  Add the prepared 'honeycomb' to the base of the tin. Create faux honey by using Seth Apter's Vintage Beeswax along with some Tim Holtz Distress Glaze in Fossilized Amber, adding the powders in thin layers and heating each layer until the desired depth is achieved.

10.  Add the painted tissue to the top of the tin, using Matte Medium to attach it and then also seal the layer with Matte Medium.

11.  Use Washi Tape to decorate the lower part of the outside of the tin, sealing this with Matte Medium.

12.  Stamp and fussy cut two bees, colour them and emboss with two layers of clear embossing powder.
13.  Stamp and fussy cut the beehive for the inside lid of the tin (not shown).  I wrapped some thin wire around the beehive, added some charms for detail and used 3D glue to raise the beehive slightly.

14.  Die cut Bipasha's Cells die and trim to fit the top of the tin.  Use Vintage Photo Distress Ink to age the die cut, glue in place and add one of the bees.

15.  Finally, add the second bee to the honeycomb inside the tin. 

Here is final view of the finished tin

You can find a list of worldwide stockists for the AALL & Create stamp and die set I used HERE.

Thanks so much for your visit, I really appreciate it.

Take care and I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs, Anne xxx