Last December I was honoured to be asked be the amazing Riikka to contribute to a series of fabulous Creative Christmas Calendar inspiration blog posts. this was my contribution.

Funky Wire Christmas Decorations 

by Louise Nelson

"I would like to share with you some very simple quick and easy Christmas decorations They can be created to suit whatever colour scheme you would like, the colour is only limited by what is available in the range of spray paints in your local hardware store.

What you will need; 

Polystyrene balls 

Wire 

Christmas flowers 

Spray paint 

Clear drying glue 

Tools you will need; 

Wire cutters 

Forming hanging loop

To start with cut a length of wire approximately 50cm long. Then in a free form manner create loops and waves in the wire [as depicted above].

When you are happy with your design twist the ends over to complete your free form patterned loop.

Bend these ends to the same shape as depicted in the photo above. Put to one side and begin to fashion the ball part of the decoration.

Cut a short length approximately 6-7cm long and bend over [as depicted above]. 

Forming Decoration

To start with bend over the end over the wire at right angles, about 2.5cm.

Push this end into the foam ball in the midline. 

Whilst holding this in position with your thumb proceed to wind the wire abound the foam ball. Continue to wind it around in a segmental manner.

When you are happy with the wire coverage around the ball, cut the wire with a short length of about 4cm, bend it over as shown above and press end into the foam ball, over the centre where the wire passes over itself, this will help to hold the wires in place.

Using the short bend over length press it into foam ball over the crossed over wires to hold them in place at the other end of the ball.

Attach the free form loop in the same manner. 

Embellishing Decoration 

Using your desired colour spray paint spray the decoration on all sides and allow to dry.

Once dry adorn with your desired Christmas themed flowers and embellishments. I have kept mine simple and used Prima flowers which were glued into position. 

I do hope you enjoyed this quick easy step out on my Funky Wire Christmas embellishments."

Imaginarium Designs :) :) :)

Hello Hello :)

Today I would like to share with you one of my favourite techniques for creating a textured background, using the faaaaabulous 8 x 8 honeycomb chipboard.

What you will need;

Imaginarium Designs

1 x 12 x 12 chipboard background

1 x 8 x 8 Honeycomb chipboard shape sheet

Other

Impasto

Spray Gesso - Krylon

Spray mist - I used Shimmerz Vibez - Red-y-or-Not

Tools

Spatula or credit card

Heat Gun

Spray bottle with water

paper towels

Prepare background chipboard with a coat of spray gesso and allow to dry.

Create textured masked hexagon shapes with honeycomb chipboard and impasto; scrape the impasto into the open areas of the shaped chipboard, remove chipboard mask and allow to dry.

When impasto paste is dry spray on a liberal amount of mist on and around the masked pattern area.

Tilt your background and allow the mist to dribble down the background.

To soften the look I have also used misted water on the mist; over-sparying and allowing it to run off.

Mop up some ares of the water misted coloured mist; I do this to ensure that I get a 'balanced look'.

Using a small soft bristle paint brush addd some extra spots/splats of mist colour to highlight certain areas of the textured background, ensuring that you maintain visual balance.

Dry the mist off using the heat gun.

This is the finished background [close ups below].

Honeycomb IDS 0053

Cheers and Happy Scrapping :)

the color room :) :) :)

Hello Hello :)

I thought I would share with you the Anatomy of a Page post from The Colour Room that I did for my Palette #135 layout :) :) :)

Materials List;

12 x 12 grey board – Imaginarium Designs

Chipboard hearts – Imaginarium Designs

Glimmer Glam [Royal Velvet] - Tattered Angels

Chalkboard Glimmer Mist ]Monolith[ - Tattered Angels

Paper Pen [Magenta] Viva Decor

12 x 12 Template [Flying Geese] – The Crafters Workshop

6 x 6 Template [Mini 4 Flowers] by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer for The Crafters Workshop

Impasto – Mont Marte

Gesso – Krylon

Cotton thread

 Snapshot 1

• ·      Background prepared with using spray gesso to achieve 2 tone effect.
• ·      Dimensional geese created using template and impasto, it is applied with a palette knife.

Snapshot 2

• ·      Photo edged using black ink to define it against the white background.
• ·      Chipboard heart coloured using the Royal Velvet Glimmer Glam.
• ·      Extra splats of colour [royal velvet glimmer glam and monolith chalkboard glimmer mist]    applied using a small-medium sized paint brush.

 Snapshot 3

• ·      Floral pattern created using mini flower template and impasto, applied with a palette knife.
• ·      Chipboard heart coloured using the Royal Velvet Glimmer Glam.
• ·      Extra splats of colour [royal velvet glimmer glam and monolith chalkboard glimmer mist] applied using a small-medium sized paint brush.
• ·      Pink dots created using Viva Décor paper pen.
• ·      Cotton thread added to create interesting visual interest. Adhered under chipboard elements using quick clear drying glue.
• ·      Organic elements [dried flowers] added to coordinate with and tie in the photo content.

Cheers and I hope you are haven a great weekend :)

Imaginarium Designs :) :) :)

Hello Hello :)

I am sharing with you today the post I did for Imaginarium Designs :) :)

I did a guide on how I created a certain background look, I do hope you enjoy :)

I created this layout background [below] using the awesome new Imaginarium Designs chipboard Butterfly and a 12 x 12 grey board background.

To begin with I have some of my favourite products [other than Imaginarium Designs];

Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer Mist - Teal High Heel

Viva Decor Croco Crackling - White

Krylon Gesso Spray

To begin I first adhere the Imaginarium Designs Chipboard Butterfly to my background using fast clear drying gel glue.

Then using a spatula I apply the crackling medium roughly and randomly over and around the butterfly, and allow it to dry and crackle.

When it is dry and all crackled I apply a light coat of spray gesso.

When the gesso is dry I then apply a liberal coating of Chalkboard mist over the background; applying a more concentrated area of mist over the butterfly.

This is then allowed to dry. Whilst I do use the heat gun to dry the mist I don't recommended it as the fumes from the gesso are toxic.

Here is a close up of the wonderful effect that can be achieved :)

Well I do hope you enjoyed this mini guide to how I create some of my layout backgrounds.

Cheers and Happy Creating

Louise :) xox

Aussie Scrap Source Layout :) :) :)

This week at Aussie Scrap Source we’re looking at ways of incorporating shapes into your mixed media projects and scrapbook layouts – from diecuts and punched shapes to epoxy and Art Parts. 

Check out the inspiration provided by the fabulous design team, [Ive included mine below] and then, send images of your own projects inspired by repetitive or scene-building shapes.   

Materials used;

12 x 12 Grey board

Gesso - Mont Marte

Florists vine

Staples

Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmermist - Chalk and Grape Ape

The Crafters Workshop 12 x 12 Circle Explosion template

Epiphany Epoxy Round buttons

Prima Flower/vine and Alphas

For the shapes mixed media challenge brief I got to create with the versatile Epiphany range of products; and it is these she has taken her direct inspiration from. I chose to use one of the range of self adhesive buttons. The round buttons coordinated perfectly with one of my favourite Crafters Workshop templates.

I took direct inspiration from the shape of these Epiphany buttons and used the circle design to inspire through the whole creative process of my layout.

Using watered down gesso in a mist bottle I first sprayed a combination of funky circle patterns on to my background., and allowed to dry.

Then using The Crafters Workshop circle explosion template and Tattered Angels chalk Chalkboard glimmer mist, I created an 'explosion' of circles over the top of the funky gesso circle pattern.

Before final embellishing this is what the background looked like. After I have attached the photo and embellishments, I shielded my photo with some scrap paper and added some extra splats of colour with the purple chalkboard mist, just using the bottom of the applicator spray nozzle and flicking it on.

I sewed the buttons on using some of the florists vine :).

This is how the background looked after drying. It is just the perfect complement to the Epiphany button embellishments.

Well thats it from me for the mo I do hope you have a fabulous weekend :)

Lou xox

Anatomy of a Page :) :) :)

Hello Hello :)

Back again :) I thought I would start doing a little bit of a layout highlight as I have this fabulous online friend who is always asking me to share and or do videos/online classes etc, but Im terribly time poor as a full time shift worker. So my friend Faygie, these are in honour of you and your amazing and generous friendship/feedback :) Oh and I stole the idea from Somerset Memories Magazine :) :) :)

Background

I have used 12 x 12 1.2mm grey board from Imaginarium Designs. I masked of half of the background just with a piece of paper and then using a misting bottle with watered down gesso sprayed along the edge of the paper [to get a sort of straight line lol] and allowed the gesso to run down the board to the bottom edge, and then dryer with a heat gun.

The top half I sprayed with Chalk Chalkboard Glimmermist from Tattered Angels.

Embossed Circles behind photo

I have used Stampendous - aged ivory to adhere it I just sprayed a circle pattern of the watered down gesso, dabbed it with a paper towel but not to much so that it was still damp and then sprinkled on the embossing powder. Shoo off the excess and then heat set with the heat gun.

Embellishing

I have just randomly twirled up some florists vine and attached using staples and a long arm stapler. and then artfully [LOL :P] adhered the feathers in amongst the vine with clear drying gel glue. The Prima leaves and nest were also adhered using the same glue.

The extra little splats of black are watered down Indian ink and I put them on last. I shield my photo and nest with scrap card and then applied the splats with a soft bristle paint bush :)

Well I think thats about it :) there really isn't too much that goes into my layouts LOL :)

Cheers and I hope your having a creative week :)

Lou xox

Jenni Bowlin Studio Custom Embellishments Video :) :) :)

Follow this link :) :) :)