NEW Echo Park Collections

Sorry the blog has been a little quiet lately. I've been busy browsing the new CHA stock ... sadly not in person (I wish!!) but on line and choosing new stock for the shop. There are just so many gorgeous new lines and products coming out, I can't wait!

New stock is gradually starting to arrive, kicking off with two collections from the ever fabulous Echo Park!

Just arrived today:

I just love the bright colours and fun images! A great for boy layouts - young and old!!

Click here to shop for Scoot now!

Also new from Echo Park:

Love Story is for all those Valentine/love themed layouts but also many of the papers are pretty floral designs which can be used for a wide variety of layouts!

Click here to shop for Love Story Now!

Watch out for lots more new stash arriving soon!

Studio Calico Burst Mask - Part 2

Hello! Jennifer here, and I'm back with some more Studio Calico Burst Mask Projects!

If you missed the first part, you can find that here.

 For this next project, I decided to try something other than misting. I played with some stamping through the mask instead!

Step 1: Take a 4.5" square piece of white cardstock, and position your burst mask on top. My mask still has ink on it from where I had been trying different stamps out earlier!

Step 2: Stamp all over the mask with a rubber stamp, using a few different colours of ink pad. I used blue, yellow, and pink. The rubber stamp needs to be one with a deep design - the flatter ones won't press down enough between the mask's gaps.

Here's the card with the mask removed.

Step 3: To finish the card off, sew some straight lines in the gaps between the stamped bursts. Add a brad in the centre. Then ink the edges of the white cardstock with pink ink, and mat it onto a piece of 5" square blue cardstock. Mount it onto a 5.5" white square card.

I'll keep this card on standby to send to someone who needs cheering up with a burst of colour!

Next, I wanted to try something a bit different so I used the burst mask to make my own unique t-shirt.

It was great fun and I love the final effect! I'm going to show you how it's done - but first of all I must point out that you can't use regular scrapbooking mists on a t-shirt that you'll want to wash. They'd wash right out! You need to get some fabric spray paint and follow manufacturers instructions for drying / setting the paint.

Step 1: Protect your work surface (and it's a good idea to wear your old clothes!!) and put newspaper or similar inside your t-shirt so the paint doesn't bleed through. Then place your mask on the t shirt where you want it to go.

Step 2: Spray all over your mask going over the edges a little, with yellow fabric spray paint.

Step 3: Spray the centre of your mask with orange fabric spray paint.

Step 4: Take the lid off your orange fabric spray paint and tap it above the t-shirt so you get little drops all over it.

Step 5: Take the mask off. Just after this photo I also sprayed a couple of times with the yellow fabric spray paint, from high above, so the t-shirt wasn't quite so stark white where the mask had been.

Step 6: Leave the t-shirt to dry, or follow the fabric paint instructions for how to dry / set the paint. Sew on a few scattered orange and yellow buttons, and your new t shirt is ready to wear! 

My Mum kindly modelled it for me!!

Thanks so much for reading my Studio Calico Burst Mask projects - let us know what you think about them and whether they've inspired you to make something! 

Jennifer X

See more of Jennifer's crafting at Jennifer's Jumbles

Studio Calico Burst Mask - Part 1

Hello, Jennifer here!

I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and 2013 is bringing you lots of happiness and crafting time!!

I've been having some fabulous fun playing with the Studio Calico Burst Mask! I've got several projects and ideas to show you, and first up are are two layouts.

Magical Moments Layout

For this first layout, about my daughter at a Christmas parade, I used the mask in the simplest way - to fill the whole page. I began by spraying the back of the mask with removeable adhesive, to stop the mask moving as I misted, and I stuck it onto a piece of white cardstock.

I protected my surface with newspaper, and then spritzed all over the mask with Mr Huey's Honor Society Mist. To get an even coverage you need to move your hand quickly from left to right (or from right to left if you're left handed) as you are spraying.

Once the blue mist had dried a little, I carefully pulled the mask off. Remember not to leave the mask on too long if you've used adhesive on it, as it will end up getting stuck forever! About 5 minutes after misting should be okay. I then left the mist to dry completely for about an hour.

Once the blue mist was dry, I unscrewed the lids of Mister Huey's Calico White and Pretty Pink Mists, held the 'straws' over the layout, and tapped the lids with my finger to sprinkle drops of mist all over the page.

Once it was completely dry I trimmed the a little off each side, and mounted it onto some mauve cardstock. 

Then I just had to add my photo and embellish the layout!

I used: My Mind's Eye All is Bright stickers from the Collection pack 

MME Rhinestones and 6x6 Paper (for the journaling)

Studio Calico Wonderland Wood Veneer Snowflakes

Hey Day Aqua Thickers

Glitz Teeny Alpha 'Yours Truly' Stickers

and a few Hero Arts Clear Gemstones!

Little Angel Layout

For my next layout, I used the mask in a few different ways...

To start this layout, about my son when he was first born, I first misted a starburst in the top left corner. I covered the parts of the mask where I didn't want the mist to seep through. It's worth testing this on a spare piece of paper to check you get the size/shape you want. Once I had done my "test" piece I cleaned the mask and placed it on the piece of Sugar Cookie cardstock (I covered up the other holes too after taking this photo) 

And then sprayed it a couple of times in the middle with Honor Society Mist. I pulled the mask off while the mist was still wet, and used the 'straw' of the Calico White Mist to flick streaks from the middle of the starbust out to the edges  - make sure you clean the 'straw' before you put it back in the bottle!!

Next I created an a mat for the journalling, by blocking off all of the mask except one section of the 'burst'.

 And then I sprayed this with My Huey Letter Jacket Mist. 

A little word of warning if you do have a go at this technique - spray quite lightly.

On my first attempt I sprayed on way too much mist and it seeped below the mask and ended up looking like this!!

Not the look I was going for! 

On my next attempt I was much more sparing with the mist and it came out much better.

I used another section on the burst as a template to cut out a piece of Studio Calico Hey Day 6x6 paper.

Which I placed below the red misted section

And added a piece of My Mind's Eye All is Bright Decorative Tape above the red section.

I checked where my photo was going to go, and added some detail to the top right corner, by covering up most of the Starburst Mask, leaving just a small arrow shape to point down at my photo.

I misted the "arrow" with Warm Calico Mist, and then outlined with a black pen so it was extra defined, and topped with a little sticker.

I then just off the layout, adding some droplets of White Calico Mist, and using the same stickers and alphas as the last layout, plus some All is Bright Decorative Brads. The cherub image was especially apt for the layout.

Hopefully this post has given you a few ideas for using the mask. I've used lots of ways all on one layout but you could use just one of the techniques.

I'll be back soon with some more ways to use the mask! 

Jennifer x

Shop for Studio Calico Mask Now

See more of Jennifer's crafting on her blog: Jennifer's Jumbles

Jenny - Inspired By Winter

In the last part of our "Inspired By Winter" series I'd like you to get to know our 4th design team member, Jenny!

In case you missed the other posts here's the links to the other DT members: 

Jennifer

Louise

Lisa-Jane

***    ***    ***

Hi I'm Jenny and I live in Bournemouth with my husband and three children. I work mornings in a shop doing admin work and spend my spare time crafting, mainly making cards.

 

 

I've always been crafty and have dabbled at many different crafts including cross stitch, sewing (I made my own wedding dress and the bridesmaids dresses), and candle making. I started card making in November 2008 and haven't looked back since. I have been on several Design teams over the years and really enjoy the challenge they give me and allow me out of my comfort zone with some of the challenges.

  

 S J Crafts owner, Sarah asked us all a few craft related questions and these are my answers:

• What was your last crafty purchase? Gosh I can't think I have been really good this year and not really bought any christmas stash and I was determined to use up the box full I had here. I think the last thing I bought was the Sizzix Stamp & die set I've used in my cards below.

• Who is your favourite Craft Manufacturer? and why? I love MME paper pads as the colours really seem to suit my crafting at the moment and Lili of the Valley and Wee Stamps for images for my cards as they are just so cute.

• What is your favourite technique? This ones easy for me. It's just got to be colouring with my promarkers. I could spend hours colouring. I find it so relaxing.

I'm going to finish up by showing you a couple of quick Winter inspired Christmas cards I made

Both designs are fairly simple with some white embossed card, a piece of torn card to look like a snowy hill, stickles glitter along the torn edge and then I added a die cut tree or snowman from this set.

 

 

 Have you finshed all your Christmas cards? 

If my cards have inspired you to make some last minute quick cards, don't forget to leave a comment. We would love to see them.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and have a read. 

Jenny x

You can check out Jenny's blog at: Dragonllew's Spot