K&E Victorian Display Placard Décor

Talking about wedding gifts, most often they're generally gifted in either white or colours that depict happiness and purity. For this instance, I chose a something different. As I didn't get to attend one of my friends' wedding last year due to the pandemic where large scale event was prohibited, I didn't manage to gift her something. Took me this long, and I decided to repurpose and customize one of my past artworks to do up this simply placard décor for her and her newly-wed husband.

I die-cut several of the first letter of their names, "K" and "E" using Tim Holtz alphanumeric dies and glue them together to make it thicker; as if they're chipboard thick. Bend them a little to fit into the slightly curve surface of the heart. Added more glitter, some mica from Prima and top it up a little golden crown. Finally, add a strip of Bible verse (Ephesians 4:2-3) for them at the bottom of the placard. 

The corners of the glass are pretty sharp and I don't think it's wise to gift something that will likely prick your finger. In order to protect them, I covered them up using Graphic 45 ornate metal corners and glide them with some gold gilding paste. 

I added the lovely couple names and their wedding date behind within this little ornate plastic frame I've in my stash. Took me some time to figure out how to mount onto glass without a need to break the glass to fit. Glossy accent is the key and they do hold well without changing the colours and design elements I've done on the placard. This is part where I adhere the placard onto the glass using plenty of glossy accent. They dry clear without leaving much residue unlike some solvent based glue. Plus point is they're actually quite strong!  Added some golden flat pearls and ornate corners that I die-cut from Graphic 45 policy & decorative die.

Oh well, I might be sieving through my past artwork and will try to repurpose them as gifts or other projects. For now, this artwork of mine has finally found a home for a newly married couple. I wish them all the best in their marriage!

 

Rustic Nature Wedding Guest Book

On 3rd March this year, I've witnessed the wedding of a lovely couple I know - Ernest and Stephanie. As part of my wedding gift to them, I did a guest book for them. It was also part of Canvas Corp July Wedding Challenge this July. A long overdue project update here. This entry was on draft mode for very long till the birth of their son Theopilus reminded me on this book. Without much talking, here is what I've made for them.

The guest book itself is a vintage ledger book from 7gypsies Architextures which I purchased it for this purpose. I merely did up a mixed media layout for them on the front cover. I used quite a number of die-cuts for this layout, mainly from Tim Holtz steel dies. I tried to match up to the "look" of the photos they provided me and decided upon a rustic, dainty nature look. As always, I love to centralize my design focus as this is one of my most preferred layout.

Loads of floral and swirls, together with touches of twine, burlap, handwritten script and woodgrain effects which I transformed bits of chipboards into. Since the front is already quite dimensional, I kept the back of the book as simple as possible.

Wedding is just only a ceremonial indication of a marriage between a man and a woman, what's really important is the marriage itself. Therefore, I didn't just stop at the front cover, and think it'd be better to have one more layout of this lovely couple right at the very first page of the book which marks as the very new beginning for them after their wedding.

I hope the guest book has been filled up! 

Below is a list of supplies I used for this project with some links included. Unfortunately, not all are available and most 7gypsies and Tattered Angels products can be purchase at Canvas Corp website itself:

• 7gypsies Architextures 
• Vintage 12" x 12" Ledger 
• Mix and Match Bee 8.5″x 11″ Book
• Mixed Media Pack
• Tattered Angels 
• High Impact Paints (Antique Gold & Platinum)
• Naturally Aged Kit – Rusty Metal (Faux Finish Paint Kit)
• Color Wash Paint Faux Finish (Verdigris)
• Glimmer Mist (Key Lime Pie)
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Dies
• Flourish and Scroll
• Tattered Floral (Sizzix, Scrapbook.com)
• Garden Greens (Sizzix, Scrapbook.com)
• Styled Labels
• Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black (Blitsy, Scrapbook.com)
• Own stash (burlap, jute twine, mini alpha chipboards, scripted handwriting & bark grain stamps) 

Graphic 45 Throwback; An Unseen Project - Voyage Beneath the Sea Bathroom Decor

Alas!! As I flipped through the drafts, I took notice of this one project I had done up for Graphic 45 during my term with them. Oh how I miss those days with Graphic 45. Till date their various paper collections and staples still occupy more than 70% of my stash, thanks to their generosity. Therefore, for today's throwback I decided to do up a blog post about this unseen project that's long overdue and never get to share in Graphic 45 blog. 😢

Though I was very attracted by the steampunky mermaid on the main page of Voyage Beneath the Sea paper collection, I especially took notice of the seahorses and the arch frame instead. This gave me an idea of a pair of seahorses guarding a pearl. Eventually, I turned them into a piece of bathroom wall decor, which I think it would certainly look good when placed above the toilet bowl. Imagine the seahorses are splashing some glittering water each time you flush your toilet. Alright, it may sounds a little too much of information here. But, that's probably one unique aesthetic concept you could consider. I do find it rather cool, don't you think so? Oh well, to each of its own...

To hold the decor, I'd need some sort of hook. Instead of a usual conventional hook, I grabbed one of the shabby chic ornate metal key holders and improvised it so that it can be hang onto the wall. A final touch of some patina gilders paste certainly adds some marine feel to it. And it's all ready to be hang!

Sadly, it seems that most stores are not longer carrying this paper collection and we can only wait for Graphic 45 to relaunch them as Deluxe Collections. Nonetheless, below are a list of supplies (not a lot though and within what I can remember) I had used for this project with links to where to get some of them:

• Graphic 45 Voyage Beneath the Sea 12" x 12" Paper Pad
• Graphic 45 Shabby Chic Ornate Metal Key Holders
• Prima Marketing Shabby Chic Round Ornate Resin Frame
• GSL Miniature Steampunk Corners and Borders
• Baroque Art Patina Gliders Paste
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy (Amazon, Blitsy, Scrapbook.com)
• Own Stash (brass chain, seashells and pearl)

An Altered Patina Photo Frame

It's 2018! I hope everyone has a pleasant New Year. Over at my tiny country where I reside, it was raining over the countdown period; practically rained through the last day of 2017 to the first day of 2018. Quite a significant day to remember; raining through 2017 to 2018.  

From this year onwards, I'm coming back with more updates and video tutorials, continuing to share and inspire people alike within the community. And I hope I'm able to do this for as long as I could. Your earnest support and encouragement in the work I share do means a lot to me. Though I may be slow in certain ways and may not be able to respond, I do value each and every one of you who has shown your kind support and encouragement towards my work throughout these years. As I promise before, I'll make an effort to bring more exciting projects and tutorials that's easy to follow and learn. Pretty excited for this and I'm looking very forward for this come back. 

Without me saying further and get carried away with my excitement, I'm moving on to share this altered patina photo frame which I made it as a belated birthday gift for one of my sisters within the Church of Christ. 

Throughout the years, I've been buying and collecting quite a number of "alterable" items which I've this tendency to keep them first, then think later what to do. At the end of the day, I'll always ended up forgetting what I've bought and never get to use them. It's because of a patina paint set I had bought since early last year, I decided to whip something up. While digging into a huge box of "alterables" (this is where I tend to keep them, conveniently sealed beyond my physical eyes), I found this Ikea Kvill photo frame which I had already torn away the plastic packaging. So right on the spot, YES! YOU'LL BE THE ONE I'M GOING TO ALTER! Without much further thinking, it got to me that I should also do up a start to finish video tutorial for this. 

There's an abundant amount of patina effect tutorials available online which I believe there's isn't a standard way in obtaining the effect. Neither is there any straightforward way as well. Previously, I've created a "non-traditional" method in creating patina using mists and solvent ink during my term with Graphic 45 which I still enjoy doing it this way. Certainly, with ready-made paint set available commercially, it just makes creating the patina effect much easier. 

In most of my projects, I've this tendency to match the colours and design elements as closely as possible. Basically speaking, they need to be in harmony and collectively a theme. As I was planning this project out, I already had in mind what kind of effect I want, and I had this Unearth paper from Kaiser Kraft Antique Bazaar paper collection which I took the design as a reference to create the patina effect. 

Unearth, from Kaiser Craft Antique Bazaar collection

Besides owning a number of "alterables", I also have several dies I bought and never put into good use. Decided to use this opportunity to use my stash, I dug into my die collection library (once again) to search for suitable dies to use together with this frame. The rose die from Susan's Garden collection and Tim Holtz's tiny tattered florals dies finally came to their pilot use, after being kept for years (Oops!). Because it's patina, I do find using bronze/copper metallic papers for these flowers as one of the better options over regular cardstocks. Very unfortunately, the bronze metallic paper I used from Time Holtz's Kraft Core collection is no longer available. This does shows that I do hoard onto things long enough till they could go into retirement. Nevertheless, it's not really the end of the world, I manage to find alternatives which I've stated a few in the list of supplies below at the end of this post.

This beautiful Spellbinder's ornate die-cut frame is also making it's debut. Yeah! I know! A crafter can never have enough. Suddenly, I took noticed that I just have too much things that haven't been put into good use. Guess I'd need to make several craft debuts in the future.   

I got the son from my sister-in-Christ to quote some bible verses that will describe his mum well and got these verses printed out onto premium paper. The print-out was subsequently tea-dyed and distressed. I mounted the print-out onto a piece of chipboard before placing it on top of the die-cut frame. I trimmed the Unearth paper to size to fit the window and I used the patina design as the backing of the sentiment. If you take a closer look, the altered patina frame does matches up quite well with the designed paper. 

To perk up the look, a little golden fleur dresden will be just nice. And a final lettering completed the whole project.

Here is a full list of supplies I used for this project, with links to various places you can get them if you're interested:

• Ikea Kvill Ornate Photo Frame
• Finnabair Patina Effect Paste Set (Blitsy, Scrapbook.com)
• Finnabair Art Basic, Clear Gesso (Blitsy, Scrapbook.com)
• Tim Holtz Tiny Tattered Florals Thinlits (Scrapbook.com, Sizzix)
• Spellbinders 5x7 Reflective Moment Etched Die
• Tim Holtz Distressed Ink in Brushed Corduroy (Blitsy, Scrapbook.com)
• Copper Metallic Papers (Cardstock Warehouse, CutCardStock)
• Daler Rowney System 3 Acrylic Paint (pale gold no. 708)
• Dusty Attic Teeny Tiny ABC Set
• Susan's Garden Rose Thinlits (retired)
• Kaiser Craft Antique Bazaar - Unearth (retired)
• Ranger Rose Gold Stickles Glitter Glue
• Golden Fleur Dresden

Mister Frosty - A Reindeer Music Box

Just a wink of an eye, it's already Christmas' eve! OMG! I felt as if I didn't have enough of last Christmas and this Christmas has already arrived. Perhaps I've been really busy lately, juggling between my part-time job and various Christmas projects, time flies particularly fast for me. Seriously I wish for Christmas everyday! 

Oh well, just in time for this Christmas, I had finally managed to alter a music box I bought from Innisfree (a Korean beauty store). Here it is, welcoming Mister Frosty... 

I've been into wintry mode for this season. To make my reindeer into a frosty snow deer, I used Tim Holtz's mini snowflakes throughout the entire music box and a couple of them as the saddle. For the stirrups, I strung 2 silvery snowflake charms and placed them over the seat. This is probably the most wintry saddle I had ever created for a reindeer.

Mister Frosty certainly need a comfy scarf. 

It's a functional music box and this is how it sounds like when wind. I had to remove this gadget before I could alter the whole box. And I decided to video this fun little thing. It is seriously LOUD and CLEAR! Pardon my excitement 'cos it has been a while I'm playing with such toy. 

Sooo... This is how it fits onto my petite hand. 

Hereby wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Here is a list of supplies I used for this project:

• Reindeer DIY Music Box by Innisfree
• Tim Holtz (mini snowflakes thinlits, Christmas typed tokens)
• Dalyer Rowney Acrylic Paints (azure blue, titanium white & pearl white)
• Martha Stewart Sea Lavender craft paint
• Melissa Frances Mica Flakes in white
• Bazzill Basic cardstock in Walnut Cream
• Ultra Fine White Glitter Powder
• Own Stash (snowflake charms, white chiffon ribbon, white fluffy ribbon, rhinestone crystals)

First Guest Designer Blog Post with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts - Goblin Door

It has been seriously quite some time I've been doing up Guest Designer's post. I was glad to be asked by Gina from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts to be their Guest Designer for the month of May. Despite my busy and hectic life recently, I've been trying my very best to squeeze some time out to get my creative brain cells kicking. Due to the lack of rest and time for myself, they are mostly in snoozing mode. Should I not wake them up, I might lose them forever! So it's time to get creative and inspiring again!

Alright, before I go non-stop chatting away my life, I better showcase my very first project using one of the fairy doors diecuts. OMG! They are way too cute! Instead of using them as fairy doors like they are intended for, I'm transforming one of them into a Goblin door. A door of a kind, on it's very own mounted at one little corner of my mum's house which is more than 30 years of age - a home I've grown up in for the past 30 over years.

Close to nature, the door was adorned with foliage, twigs, scrubs and leaves. Even the main door itself is built with some sort of bark from a trunk.

I hope this door can age well in subsequent years to come. Unless we've to move, this door will be there with a Goblin guarding our house.

A Springtime Fairy Watering Can

This week is Graphic 45 and May Arts Blog Hop week, and today is the last day of the hop. I have this small watering can which I bought with the intention to alter it. Since Spring is here and today is Good Friday, I think it’s a good time to have an altered watering can as an add-on decor for my home garden for this Spring Holiday!

I did a generous amount of image transfer over the surface using one of the floral pattern papers from Once Upon a Springtim DCE and covered it with various chalk paint to tone down the colours. Those lovely greenish trims are from May Arts Ribbons, especially the leafy ones which make a perfect trim for garden theme based project.

Who doesn't love fairies? Certainly I do so I have to add this cute little fairy within a resin frame at the central spot of the watering can. A nice pair of wooden wings just make it more fairy-ing.

Under the Mistletoe Christmas Display Decor

Oh well, yes I know it's Christmas' Eve!!! Seriously?!? I haven't had enough time to whoop up enough Christmas projects!! While trying to get my life re-organized (for which I'm still struggling for months), I managed to bake one display decor project out for this Christmas. Fresh from oven!!! Piping hot just in time for Christmas!!!

I'm heading for a rustic vintage feel and love to add some warm for this Christmas. Not too warm but just enough to feel a little love. Using one of the cameos from Sandra Evertson's Relics and Artifacts as the centerpiece, I created this "Under the Mistletoe" layout using several flowers, berries, stamens and pine corns. 

I deliberately want to link the floras and the cameo together, yet somehow as if it's "under" and "house" within. Certainly this big bauble frames and link the entire layout to perfection. Of course, how can I miss out burlap!!! This just gives the entire decor a good old rustic look. 

There's a number of stories about the meaning behind "Under the Mistletoe" and this is practically the idea behind. Emblem of love that conquers death. Well, Christmas is all about Jesus Christ and He's the reason why love exists. Love more, kiss more and Merry Christmas...

A Soulful Heart

Lately, there was quite a number of unpleasant things happening around the world. There was the Paris attack on Friday the 13th, with a few terrorist and tension events that happened previously. These events are likely to be ongoing events. Years of tensions, conflicts built up and things don't happen overnight or instantly, and they happened for a reason and mainly due to human pride. When one becomes soulless, one don't feel and empathize. It seems like all humanity is gone at point of violence and evil acts.

I tend to question, when one returns to his rightful mind, will he be able to feel? To some point, I believe everyone does. Your heart will at least ache a beat when you are at your most soulful state. We are spiritual beings; souls covered with flesh and blood. There's a reason why we feel pain when we bleed. It's a real truth that humans are soulful beings.

As I feel so intensely about current world events, I tend to ponder how sad and discouraging the world has become. We have become more judgmental, opinionated, discouraging and uninspiring. Each individual gradually becomes an opinion of others. I wish the world can be a little more soulful.

Taking all my feelings and put them together I created this little soulful assemblage artwork using shades of gray as the base. The option of using dull grayish base represent the world; for the world is always that gray. It seems like everything sounds right yet look so wrong on many levels. Humans are unable to judge what's absolutely right or wrong correctly. True black and white don't seems to exist. While the addition of subtle warm colours within the grayish base represent the various soulful hearts of all mankind. I believe humans can be soulful, it's a matter of choice.

Setting this heart as the main focus among a pool of grays, I used a variety shades of red, white and tarnished brass to paint the resin heart making it as if it is a real flaming red heart. This is the main soul of this project.

This piece of art is available for sale in my shop here...