Christmas Stencils

This week I did something a little different, we used a stencil and paste and we used a stencil with the light box.

Because these things have to be done one at a time, we also did a couple of easy decoupage cards, so that no one was sitting around doing nothing.

The first card we did was using a plastic stencil and some glitter paste, it was a really easy thing to do, when you get the hang of it.  The stencil is taped down to your card, you then apply paste to the top and using a palette knife gently scrap the paste around, its almost like you are icing a cake. 

Whilst the paste and stencil was being passed around, everyone cut out decoupage, they had a choice of a pink, blue or red.  Here are the samples:

We then took another stencil, this time we embossed it on the light box, I had to dust mine off before we could use it, I love the effect, but its a craft I don't do very often now.

It does not show it justice in the photo, as you can not see the embossing very much.

Whilst this was going around again we had to be doing something, so another decoupage card came out, and because its such a strange size we had to make our own envelope.

Only 13 weeks until christmas!

Belsey Bridge Craft Retreat Sunday

The weekend seemed to go by so fast, we had to pack our bags and be out the rooms by 10am.  But there was still more crafting to be done.  This morning Jeanette tackled a craft that had been requested so many times by you crafters.  It was something that many of you including me had not done before.  Quilling - well I can say that I was one that wouldn't do it again, but many of you liked it and have been doing some since you got home.  Some tell me its very relaxing sitting in front of the telly quilling but I have to say its not for me. 

The card that Jeanette designed was really beautiful and I was looking forward to having ago, but the truth is I made a complete mess up and it looked nothing like Jeanette's creation, so there was only on place for it - the bin!

Here is the good one made by Jeanette

Jeanette made made another nice sample using different colours and here it is for you to see

Well then theres my session, I did the theme of men, what can I say, they are so difficult to do cards for most of the time.  Its usually the same themes over and over again.

The first card, I used a base card and showed how to layer using fancy edges and just adding a picture to the middle, very simple but an effect I liked.

Here are a few other cards, using different colours and pictures.

I decided to also do a shaped card, with die cut borders and decoupage to decorate, yes we were back to the decoupage again, but if you only wanted to put the base layer on you could.  These borders were using our creative border dies, that you use through the cuttlebug or any other die cutting machine.

This all happened in the morning, after lunch we had the raffle - where we raised between us £83 for First Steps.  The competition, where there were three winners. 

We then did a simple gift idea, using a tea bag and a kit kat, here are a few pictures of this project.

Jeanette and I hope you all enjoyed the weekend as much as we did, it was great to meet you all again, and hopefully we will see you all again, keep well

Belsey Bridge Competition - Stamped Curtains

We wanted to change the competition this time, so we sent you all the same set of stamps, it was not the easiest set to use.  However the results were amazing, we hope we managed to get a photo of all of them, so here they are in case you did not see them.

Belsey Bridge Saturday night

In the evening, we all went into one big group to paint and decorate a canvas. This did not go as smoothly as it should have done, as everytime we did something to the canvas it had do be dried with the heat gun.  So there was a waiting time.  Also I put all the inks and stamps on one table which caused a small waiting problem, but at least I learnt not to do it that way again.  We took some photo's of the canvas's but some came out blurry, so here are a few that were not blurry, if you would like yours posted and it hasn't been, send me the picture and I will put it up.

 

 

 

                      

Belsey Bridge Craft Retreat Saturday 8th September

What a good start to the day, my breakfast being cooked for me.  I do like being spoilt, but that only happens when I am on holiday.  Graham would make me breakfast, but I am always up first and I couldn't wait that long. 

We started the day off in two groups, Jeanette taught one group with the theme of christmas and I taught the other group with the theme of females.

We wanted to try and cover a variety of themes as well as crafts.  The unfortunate thing about doing shaped cards, you always need to add something, and it usually ends up with decoupage.  However on all projects over the weekend you could put as little or as much decoupage on as you wanted.

Jeanette did a lovely fireplace card, and a box to give it in.   She showed how to make and attach a shelf, how to emboss on the cuttlebug, how to stamp and colour with pro-markers.  Here are some sample cards:-

The other card was created using a template, there were three sizes of the template and you had a choice of what you did with it.  A couple of samples are as follows:-

The card that I made was an idea given to me by Mary, I was 40 last year and she had made me a card using a The Debbie Moore Cd.  It was beautiful as was so many of my other cards.  I looked at the card and worked out how I could do a small easier version.  This is what I came up with.

I really did enjoy making this, I then asked Doreen to make one up in another colour for me, I needed to make sure we could get it done in the time available.  Here it is made up in two other colours.

Doreen made the card and said she thought there would be time left over, so with her help we made another card, using the same cd.  Here is the sample.

At lunch time we changed over and taught the other group, I think this made it easier, as everybody did not have to pack everything away at every break.  The food throughout the day was really nice.  The problem with eating so much it makes you sleepy.