Well, the great news is that some of the styles and designs we didn't have before have just arrived! Personally, I love the Doorplate, and the Ornate Frame..and...and...and...
Faith's little gossip spot for news, crafty inspiration and general excitedness over the next big crafting trends!
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Nesting Dies!
I totally adore this whole range of Nesting Dies from XCut, and it takes all my willpower to resist using them on every single project I do!
Well, the great news is that some of the styles and designs we didn't have before have just arrived! Personally, I love the Doorplate, and the Ornate Frame..and...and...and...
Well, the great news is that some of the styles and designs we didn't have before have just arrived! Personally, I love the Doorplate, and the Ornate Frame..and...and...and...
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Bare Basics Calendar
This has been so much fun to make, and I am determined to have it finished ready to use for 2012!!
Every year, I have the Carole Nash Motorcycle Calendar hanging up in my kitchen (I promise this is relevant!) But I decided, since I've had the same calendar for the last I'm-not-sure-how-many years, it was probably time for a change. (Although I'll probably put next years Carole Nash calendar up in another room though y'know, just because it's "traditional" now!)
So, I got myself one of these:
I decided to do my own calender with pictures of my own bike!
I love the idea of these calendars, they're 12x12" so you can treat them just like a scrapbook page. (And I love my scrapbooking!)
The nice thing about them is they have no dates! So if you don't finish them in time for one year, you can do them for the next!
And no, I'm not disclosing which year I started mine in!! :D
Here's my latest page finished. I've put the month onto the page itself, but there's nothing to stop you writing it on the calendar part below. That way, when the calendars finished with, the pages can be cut out and put into a scrapbook. They're the right size already!
And here it is in place in the calendar.
As you can see, no dates written on yet...just in case!
Every year, I have the Carole Nash Motorcycle Calendar hanging up in my kitchen (I promise this is relevant!) But I decided, since I've had the same calendar for the last I'm-not-sure-how-many years, it was probably time for a change. (Although I'll probably put next years Carole Nash calendar up in another room though y'know, just because it's "traditional" now!)
So, I got myself one of these:
I decided to do my own calender with pictures of my own bike!
I love the idea of these calendars, they're 12x12" so you can treat them just like a scrapbook page. (And I love my scrapbooking!)
The nice thing about them is they have no dates! So if you don't finish them in time for one year, you can do them for the next!
And no, I'm not disclosing which year I started mine in!! :D
As you can see, no dates written on yet...just in case!
New Technique! Embossing Funky Foam with the Bigshot
I'm so pleased with this! I had a brainwave the other day. I was making a page to go into my calendar (more on this here) and I wanted a brown textured backing to go behind something. But I wanted it to be a bit different, and a bit 3D, so I didn't want to just use card.
Enter: Funky Foam!
Now, I've tried embossing Funky Foam with the Bigshot before, with no luck whatsoever! The foam embosses, then after a few minutes the design sort of "pops" back out, and the foam is smooth again.
However, Funky Foam can be moulded. All you need to do is heat it with a heat tool (the one you would normally use for stamping and embossing) and then hold the foam in place until it cools.
So...
First, I cut the Funky Foam using a Nesting Die. This is one of the lovely new Postage Stamp dies from XCut.
The Funky Foam cut beautifully, so I was very impressed! Really clean, neat edges.
Next, I heated the Funky Foam with my heat tool, and in a mad rush before it had a chance to cool down, I slipped it into place in an embossing folder and ran it through the Bigshot.
I've used the lovely floral embossing folder from Papermania (co-ordinates beautifully with the new Urban Stamps I am so in love with by the way!)
I am so psyched with the results! Smudge a metallic gold ink pad ever so lightly over the top of the finished piece and it really looks like lovely aged leather!
To see what I did with this when I'd finished, have a look here:
Bare Basics Calendar
Enter: Funky Foam!
Now, I've tried embossing Funky Foam with the Bigshot before, with no luck whatsoever! The foam embosses, then after a few minutes the design sort of "pops" back out, and the foam is smooth again.
However, Funky Foam can be moulded. All you need to do is heat it with a heat tool (the one you would normally use for stamping and embossing) and then hold the foam in place until it cools.
So...
The Funky Foam cut beautifully, so I was very impressed! Really clean, neat edges.
Next, I heated the Funky Foam with my heat tool, and in a mad rush before it had a chance to cool down, I slipped it into place in an embossing folder and ran it through the Bigshot.
I am so psyched with the results! Smudge a metallic gold ink pad ever so lightly over the top of the finished piece and it really looks like lovely aged leather!
To see what I did with this when I'd finished, have a look here:
Bare Basics Calendar
Friday, 11 November 2011
More Vintage!
I might have been playing with the Urban Stamps again...
(See here for more info on them)
Here are some of my creations up on display in the shop!
(See here for more info on them)
Here are some of my creations up on display in the shop!
Showing off my Favourite Doll
Meet the lovely Elizabeth-Marie:
My favourite of my Doll creations! She's a 15" doll dressed in various fabrics which came from the shop, and trimmed with embroidery beads, amongst other things. Her little white pearl ring is actually a pearl headed pin which I chopped down with some wire cutters and, um, unceremoniously poked into her hand!
Funnily enough, she's based on a Simplicity Dressmaking Pattern which I noticed one day in the shop whilst I was looking for a pattern for someone. It's funny the strange things that inspire us sometimes isn't it?
The Pattern:
My favourite of my Doll creations! She's a 15" doll dressed in various fabrics which came from the shop, and trimmed with embroidery beads, amongst other things. Her little white pearl ring is actually a pearl headed pin which I chopped down with some wire cutters and, um, unceremoniously poked into her hand!
Funnily enough, she's based on a Simplicity Dressmaking Pattern which I noticed one day in the shop whilst I was looking for a pattern for someone. It's funny the strange things that inspire us sometimes isn't it?
The Pattern:
Vintage and Distressing
This has got to be my new favourite technique!
I've used the fabulous new Urban Stamps from Papermania, which I am so loving at the moment! Urban Stamps are great because they have all the convenience of a clear stamp, they'll cling to a clear block and they're dead easy to store compared to wooden-back stamps. But unlike most clear stamps, you can really get some incredible detail on them! They use the same kind of high quality rubber you would find on a wooden back stamp, so I guess they're kind of the best of both worlds really! There are some beautiful designs in this new range, lovely scripty ones and Vintage Postage Stamp images and all sorts, just the sort of style I love! I'm looking forward to having a go with them on a scrapbook page, I'm planning on making embellishments and toppers with them as well as lovely bespoke background papers. I really did have hours of fun playing with these, and an incredibly untidy craft room to show for it by the time I'd finished!!
This is the set I've used here:
To make that postage stamp topper behind the butterfly, I've stamped them randomly, letting them overlap, all over cream card in various shades of brown and red ink. Then I stamped two designs in black ink over the top of the others.
I love the Tim Holtz style distressed effect, but for a quicker alternative, I've used blending chalks! Just a few shades of brown and red smudged over the whole thing using a bit of cotton wool, then set with hairspray. And you have instant-vintage, easy as that!
To really finish off the topper, it's been cut using an XCut Nesting Die, and embossed through the Sizzix Bigshot Die-Cutting machine using this beautiful new Embossing Folder, which is designed to co-ordinate perfectly with the new Urban Stamps.
Definitely my new favourite product and my new favourite technique!! We're using these lovely stamps on our next Cardmaking Workshop and I'm looking forward to sharing some tips and ideas for some nice traditional Vintage Style Christmas Cards.
I've used the fabulous new Urban Stamps from Papermania, which I am so loving at the moment! Urban Stamps are great because they have all the convenience of a clear stamp, they'll cling to a clear block and they're dead easy to store compared to wooden-back stamps. But unlike most clear stamps, you can really get some incredible detail on them! They use the same kind of high quality rubber you would find on a wooden back stamp, so I guess they're kind of the best of both worlds really! There are some beautiful designs in this new range, lovely scripty ones and Vintage Postage Stamp images and all sorts, just the sort of style I love! I'm looking forward to having a go with them on a scrapbook page, I'm planning on making embellishments and toppers with them as well as lovely bespoke background papers. I really did have hours of fun playing with these, and an incredibly untidy craft room to show for it by the time I'd finished!!
This is the set I've used here:
To make that postage stamp topper behind the butterfly, I've stamped them randomly, letting them overlap, all over cream card in various shades of brown and red ink. Then I stamped two designs in black ink over the top of the others.
I love the Tim Holtz style distressed effect, but for a quicker alternative, I've used blending chalks! Just a few shades of brown and red smudged over the whole thing using a bit of cotton wool, then set with hairspray. And you have instant-vintage, easy as that!
To really finish off the topper, it's been cut using an XCut Nesting Die, and embossed through the Sizzix Bigshot Die-Cutting machine using this beautiful new Embossing Folder, which is designed to co-ordinate perfectly with the new Urban Stamps.
Definitely my new favourite product and my new favourite technique!! We're using these lovely stamps on our next Cardmaking Workshop and I'm looking forward to sharing some tips and ideas for some nice traditional Vintage Style Christmas Cards.
Latest Cardmaking Workshops - 22nd Nov to 6th Dec
Christmas Cardmaking Workshops at Anne and Paul's Sew Simple
“Whether you’re new to card-making or you want to add to your skills, there will be something for you!”
£10 per session
Tuesday Evenings from 6.30pm - 9.00pm
At: Anne & Paul’s Sew Simple, 94 Church Road
Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 2PL
01784 255 742
All tools and materials provided to make 2-4 cards per session!
Tuesday 22nd November: Vintage and Distressing!
A fabulous workshop using Urban Stamps & Tim Holtz-Style distress effects
Tuesday 29th November The Never Ending Card!
The most deceptively simple card ever! Create something fabulous and be amazed at how easy it is to achieve!
(This workshop is great for beginners)
Tuesday 6th December: Something Special with Stepper Cards
Try out just one of the many ways you can use these fabulous card blanks! Another effective design which is surprisingly easy to achieve!
(This workshop is great for beginners)
Tuesday 13th December: Tea Bag folding For Christmas
A great technique and a lovely design! This is a fantastic way to use up all those little leftover bits of Christmas paper from your other cards!
Please call to reserve your place – only 8 spaces available per session
Tues 13th Dec will be the last workshop before Christmas, so there will be Mince Pies! Our workshops will begin again in January when I hope to see you all back for our Grand January Sale!! Please ask to ensure your email is on the mailing list and you will be notified when the new workshops begin!
DISCOUNT ON ALL PRODUCTS PURCHASED ON THE NIGHT
Monday, 7 November 2011
Welcome to our Blog!
Anne and Paul's Sew Simple now has it's very own blog to share the latest news, trends and general crafty gossip!
I look forward to getting this site going, updating with some sneaky peeks of some of the fabulous new products constantly coming out at the moment, trying out and sharing some great tips and ideas, and of course sharing some of my own creations too!
I hope you'll all enjoy reading this as much as I'll enjoy writing it!
Faith xxx
I look forward to getting this site going, updating with some sneaky peeks of some of the fabulous new products constantly coming out at the moment, trying out and sharing some great tips and ideas, and of course sharing some of my own creations too!
I hope you'll all enjoy reading this as much as I'll enjoy writing it!
Faith xxx
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