A Little Faith

Good evening.

It's been a crazy day and was beginning to feel that I was not going to be able to get my twinchie done today. But with a little faith, I was able to get a couple done while cooking dinner (Maybe, I should clarify ... While burning dinner because I was having too much fun).

It is so lovely to see everyone twinchies. So many great pieces and all so beautiful. One lady suggested creating a sampler with them which is such a wonderful idea. I may keep all mine in a box and find a huge canvas at some point and stick them all on there. It would make a lovely wall piece.

Today's little ones are ...

I'm going to do a step by step for the pink Faith one ... Reminds me of sherbet. Yum.

All the embossing and colouring is done on the back and the perforating and cutting on the front.

1.) Emboss the 3rd from inside squares and scallops from the Scallops Nested Squares plate.

2.) Using the Beauty Word Chain border plate, emboss the word 'Faith' from it and from the 3D Flowers and Butterflies plate, emboss flowers in the corners.

3.) Emboss dots around the word and outside the flowers from the Diagonal Basic Grid. Emboss the flower petals using the ball tools 6, 4.5, 3 and 1.5 gently each time as you go down in sizes and allowing the parchment to rest between each layer.

4.) Colour on the back using Perga Colours Exclusive.

5.) Perforate with the 2-needle perforating tool and cut between the perforations using parchment scissors (or Perga Cutters).

6.) Finish by mounting the parchment piece on pink parchment (7x7cm), white card (7x7cm) and black card (8x8cm) using brads and sticking this on white card (10x10cm).

I'm exhausted so off to bed I go wishing for dreams of sherbet sweets. Good night.

Take care. Enjoy.

Love and laughter

Tina x

Little Pleasures

Good Evening.

Oh my goodness... I had not expected the response I got regarding this idea of tiny pieces of art work on parchment. It makes me so happy to know that it was very much liked and I will see a lot of these little art pieces everyone creates. Exciting.

I would also like to add that one everyday is a target for me as I get very easily distracted from what I want to do and always end up doing what I need to do. This way, without any excuses (hopefully), I will set aside about half hour to do something I really enjoy and shut out the world.

I did play with the idea of ATC size pieces but those would be just that little bit bigger and for me time is a real big issue so wanted to keep it as small as possible. I will also be using lots of work that is just lying around unfinished ... great way to have some work mounted up without the pressure of having to complete it as a larger project. It would be great to see what I can rescue from work I have done and not liked when finished.

Today I managed to get 4 more done. The orange one was a rescue piece from the time I was designing pattern packs so has a traditional-ish feel to it.

And today step by step is once again created using the plates from the  Groovi Starter Kit Deluxe...

1.) Emboss the 5th from the inside square from the nested square plate.

2.) Emboss the word 'JoY' from the A5 square plate mate followed by flowers (next to the bracket symbols) on both sides of the word.

Emboss stems by using the hills from the mountains and hills plate.

Emboss mountains and sun from the mountains and hills plate.

Emboss birds (next to the flower symbol) from the plate mate.

3.) For colour, I used Perga Liner B pencils on the back because I wanted a smooth colour which I can achieve by using Dorso oil (or blending solution) to rub the colour. As you can see, I have coloured in very roughly. If you are not going to use a blending solution, take you time to colour the areas neatly.

4.) Using a paper stump, cut n dry nibs or a tiny amount of cotton wool wrapped around a cocktail stick and Dorso oil, blend the colour. You need the tiniest amount of the oil to move the colour.

5.) Normally I do my embossing before I colour my work but I changed my mind ... I was going to colour the birds and flowers then decided to emboss them instead. Colour the word with a black micron pen on the back.

6.) Using a 2-needle perforating tool, perforate outside the square and cut between the perforations using parchment scissors (or Perga Cutters). Using the bold 1-needle perforating tool, perforate a hole for a flower centre in the middle of all the flowers.

6.) To finish, mount the piece on blue parchment (7x7cm), white card (7x7cm) and black card (8x8cm) using brads and stick this on white card (10x10cm).

I have had so much pleasure creating these today. I can safely say I well and truly hooked making these. Once again, thank you for all your encouragement, love and support on this crazy venture and looking forward to seeing what tiny pieces everyone creates. 

Take Care. Enjoy.

Love and laughter

Tina x

A Tiny Idea

Good Evening.

I have had an idea that has gone round and round in my head for a few weeks now and a part of me keeps telling me that it is probably a crazy one and best not to start on it ... However, the other part of me will not let it go so I might as well try it, right?

So the idea is to create at least one mini piece (approx. 2x2in) of parchment work, either with Groovi or traditional methods ... Everyday. Why? Because, it can be my escapism from everyday things that HAVE to be done. Because, it will give me an opportunity to play and create for my pleasure. Because, a small teeny tiny piece does not take as long as a large parchment piece does. Because, I can practice various techniques or techniques I have not used for a while. Because, I think it will be fun. Because, ..........

So anyone want to join in? Of course, no one needs to create one everyday. I'm probably being optimistic that I will be able to create one everyday myself. The mission is to create a tiny piece approx. 2x2in and on parchment paper. I'll be using the 5th square from the inside from the Groovi A5 Nested Square Plate or 3rd from the inside from the Groovi A5 Scallop Nested Square Plate for my finished size.

I'll post my 2inchies on FB and you are most welcome to tag me or post on my post your creations if you decide to have a go.

So to start, here are my today's makes ... Each finished parchment piece (approximately 2x2in or 5x5cm) has been mounted on 7x7cm coloured paper and 8x8cm black card using brads and finally on white card stock approx. 4x4in (10x10cm).

And here is a step by step for the landscape one in which I just used the plates from the starter kit. 

1.) On regular parchment, emboss squares 4 and 5 from the inside from the nested squares plate.

2.) Using the squares on the plate as guides, emboss extra lines between the 2 square to create 3 squares within the border.

3.) From the trees plate, use the small tree on the plate to emboss a tree using the branches. From the landscape plate, emboss hills, sun and birds. The birds were created using the hills at different angles. The photo below is as it looks on the back.

4.) Colour on the back with Perga Colours Exclusive. From the front, perforate with the 2-needle perforating tool and cut with parchment scissors (or Perga Cutters).

5.) To finish, mount the little piece on Clarity Designer Paper and black card with brads and stick this on white card.

I actually really enjoyed doing these and am already looking forward to creating some more (or at least one) tomorrow.

Take Care. Enjoy.

Love and laughter

Tina x

Topaze

Good Afternoon and wishing all mums out there a Very Happy Mother's Day.

I had such fun with the new Groovi plates that Rossella is showcasing today on Hochanda at 11, 2 and 5. I am completely in love with the nested scallop rectangles, ovals, squares and circles plates. If you do not have them yet, a definite must to put your wish lists.

I only had time to play with the Topaze plate so here is what I created ...

Plates used:

A5 Rectangle - Nested Scallop Rectangles

Topaze

A4 Straight Basic Piercing Grid

A4 Square - Nested Squares Extended

Border Plates - Straight Border Pattern Piercing Grid No. 1

Step by Steps to create this card ...

Step 1 -  Emboss, on regular parchment, the rectangles 4 with the scallops and 5 (I think) from the inside on the nested scallop rectangles plate.

Step 2 - Emboss Topaze inside the rectangle and the filigree design outside the rectangle edges.

Step 3 - Emboss rectangles around the filigree work leaving one set of rectangle/scallop between the design.

Step 4 - Emboss the Honesty plant leaves (or are these the flowers?) with a large followed by medium ball tools.

Step 5 - Still working on the back, roughly colour Topaze with bendable pencils.

Step 6 - Using blending solution and a paper stump, blend the pencil work so the colour is smooth, removing the rough pencil lines. Between the borders, I used Perga Colours Exclusive felt pens to color but you could use the pencils.

Step 7 - On the front, with a 2 needle perforating tool, perforate inside the scallops and inside and outside the filigree work.

Step 8 - Cut between the perforations with parchment craft scissors or Perga Cutters.

Step 9 - On pale blue parchment, with the glossy darker side up, emboss the largest square from the extended nested squares plate. Inside the square, emboss the pattern from the straight border pattern plate No. 1.

Step 10 - Turn the piece around to the front, align the dots on the A4 straight piercing grid, and perforate the holes inside the pattern dots.  Work one edge at a time and turn the parchment around on the grid for the next edge.

Step 11 - On the back, emboss the extra Honesty plant stems on the left and right side of the square and emboss in the leaves.

Finishing - Mount the Topaze piece on the trimmed pale blue piece and the designer backing paper using brads. Stick this whole piece on a 8x8 folded white card. I added a few sequins on the card and also used Wink of Stella on the leaves to add a bit of sparkle.

Well that's it for this piece and hope everyone gets to watch the shows today for lots more inspiration and ideas from the amazingly talented design team and Rossella herself.

Take Care and Enjoy.

Love and laughter

Tina

'Tis My Faith

Good Evening,

Did you catch Maria on Hochanda today. Bet there was lots to learn and lots of inspiration from the Clarity design team. I have not watched the shows as I was on hospital rounds with my dad but I have recorded them so will watch them tomorrow after the kids are sent off to school. Unfortunately I was unable to help with samples for the show so I thought I would create a step by step to put on here ... Any excuse to have a little play with these gorgeous new Groovi plates.

Plates Used:

A5 Square - Lily of the Valley, Daffodils, Scalloped Nested squares, Basic Diagonal Grid

A6 Square - Vases

Step 1 - On regular parchment paper, emboss the pretty border on the Lily of the Valley plate to make a square. Emboss part of the 4th from the outside scallop nested square and also use this plate to emboss extra borders on the top and bottom as seen in the photo (that part is too difficult for me to describe in words. Lol).

This is what it looks like on the back.

Step2 - Emboss the verse - I broke it down into 4 lines and moved it around the square and rectangle.

Step 3 - Emboss the pot from the baby vase plate and the flowers and leaves growing out of the pot from the Daffodils and Lily of the Valley plates

Step 4 - Over the Basic Diagonal Grid, emboss dots on the pot using the No2 ball tool. To create a light texture, rub the ball tool lightly between the rectangle and the square on the grid.

Step 5 - Colour on the back. I used the Pergamano Perga Colours Exclusive this time but Distress Markers or Pencils would work very well too.

Step 6 - Emboss the 4 petal flowers around the border and in the rectangles between the double outlines using the No4 followed by No3 ball tools.

This is what it looks like on the front so far.

Step 7 - Using artistry ink pads or distress ink pads brush some colour on the back around the work after masking the rectangle area.

Step 8 - On the front, inside the scallops, perforate using the 2-needle perforating tool.

Step 9 - Cut between the perforations using parchment scissors or Perga Cutters.

Step 10 - Cut the worked parchment piece to size as well as blue and regular parchment squares (14x14cm) and designer paper from the Brighton Rock Clarity paper pad (16.5x16.5cm). Attach all these pieces together using brads between the 4 petal flowers (I got carried away but 1 in each corner would be enough). Stick this whole piece on folded white card (17x17cm).

To finish, stick sequins on the card and add a bit of sparkle on the flowers using Wink of Stella (unfortunately the camera did not pick up the sparkle).

Well, that's it from me. I'm going to bed... Maybe...

Take Care. Enjoy.

Love and laughter

Tina