Chiswick - multicoloured embossed butterfly card.

One of my favourite stamp sets from Chiswick is the Butterfly set – it’s one of those classic sets with beautiful images that can work for any craft and any theme. I have used it on scrapbooking layouts, on cards, in mini-albums and altered projects and still i don’t tire of it! For this card I chose embossing to create colour and texture on my focal image. The colours are soft and feminine and I love the look.
The stamp is so versatile and can be used in so many different ways. For this card i embossed the butterfly using 3 colours of embossing powders on the same image for a unique look.
For my background I used the same 3 colours of inks to create a multicolored effect. Once the ink was dry I used the Intricate background stamp and stamped the large background in black on my coloured cardstock. To lighten the colours I added a layer of vellum and sewed it with my sewing machine instead of using an adhesive to adhere it. I also love how the sewing adds some texture.
Above and below my middle section of the card where the focal point is I added two stamped swirls. I used the same stamp and just stamped the one upside down. This creates a pattern and lets your eyes focus on what is happening in the middle.
For this project I used these wonderful products from Chiswick

Clear Stamp – Intricate Patterns 140 x 180mm (ER-21)rs3167
Clear Stamp – Butterflies 140 x180mm (ER-A9)rs3171
General Purpose Scissor 215mmcr0930
Plastic Bone Foldercr1200
Heat Gun in Gift Boxcr1350
Clear Stamp – Flourishes – 140 x 180mm (ER-A19)rs3172

Visit the Chiswick website to view all the products, or contact Denise  031 – 569 6116 to find your nearest craft store -
Happy embossing until next time!

Chiswick - paper mache bowl.

I remember in art class having to make our own paper mache- had it not been mandatory i would never have even attempted. it's just one big mess! but Chiswick has a wonderful product that makes paper mache work a breeze - yes you guessed it! Ready mixed paper mache. This means that you can simply pick the project you want to make and start. So for this little project i called my inner child closer. Remember those bowls and post you used to make at school for your mom? well i do - so i decided to make her a little "imperfect" bowl filled with flowers just because. Now let me start by saying it is not perfect - and that is what i love about it. it's real and fun and that's important to me. I had a blast as i dug into the pot of paper mache and got my hands dirty - transporting me back to those fun and carefree dyas of when i was just a kid.
i used a glass bowl from the kitchen as a mould to make mine.
i used some grey chalk paint to paint the outside of the paper mache to give it a french look. I think my next project will be a bowl covered in silver leaf for a luxurious look and feel.
i love how the paper mache is not perfectly white, but has a cream tint to it making it soft and fluffy.
Here's how i did it
step 1 - I used a spoon to scoop some paper mache out of the tub. You only need a little bit at a time.
step 2 - Grease your mould with some spray and cook (for class and plastic) before applying the paper mache to it. I worked on small sections at a time until my bowl was completely covered. I left the top edges rough and unfinished.
step 3 - leave the paper mache to dry until it is fully cured. The bowl will simply pop off of the mould you used. Then decorate your bowl with paint, silver leaf, paper, serviettes or whatever your heart desired.
Now that i have tried it out i am sending my niece a pot of paper mache so she and my nephwe can create some great art for grandma. I love how easy this is to use and can't wait for my next mask or model creation so i can use this wonderful product. paper Mache is available from Chiswick at your local craft store. You can phone Denise or visit their website for info and details.
the advantages of this pre-mixed product
You save loads of time and frustration rather than trying to mix your own
It is safe for your kids to use and non toxic
It is similar to clay but air dries
I used a class bowl from the kitchen and sprayed it with spray and cook to give it a coating that will release my bowl easily when dry
You can use craft glue to adhere things to your paper mache project
It comes in different sized tubs making it perfect for any project
I hope you will make some time for you and the kids to try out this amazing product - they will have loads of fun!

The Wholesaler - Every Princess deserves a layout – Prima Princess Products double page layout.

Every little girl deserves a special layout that makes her feel and look like a Princess – even if real life sometimes gets in the way of that promise. I have found that when you make a layout for a little girls and it is filled with magic then you will make them feel like they can conquer the world – that is how powerful scrapbooking and memory keeping really is. It has the power to make the impossible possible, it conveys truly feelings and tells stories that otherwise may not be uttered in words – it is powerful in every way! When I started selecting the Prima Princess range to work with, I ha d a very special girl in mind – one that has conquered the world over and over in spite of her situation and in spite of who the world told her to be and what it threw at her – my niece. I wanted to make it pretty and playful just like her. For my photos I used some old photos and printed them in sepia, and I simply love how it turned out.
I wanted maximum exposure of the papers so I used four strips running down the middle of my background and then added my photos to that. A few key embellishments and accessories is all I needed to keep the layout from feeling and being cluttered – but rather focused on the photos and my story I wanted to tell. She is such an amazing and strong girl now, and at the age of 13 she really has come a long way, but what is still evident is that she love pink and purple and bling and all things girly and pretty. In many ways she will always be our Princess – strong and confident!

How do you use colour and paper to convey a message? Is it something simple like strong lines and bold embellishments with a few detailed fussy cut elements? Or maybe dark colours filled with lots of embellishments, making it busy and cluttered? Everyone has their own style and their own story to tell – and that is all that matters – but in the end let’s not forget that the photographs tell an even bigger story accompanied by words that can harm or heal…
“life is like a camera, focus on what’s important and you’ll capture it perfectly”

Products used 
Prima Princess Wood Icons [PM 572907] 
Prima Princess Tags & TicketsPM [PM 573263] 
Prima Princess Double Sided Paper – Ava [95095]
Prima Princess Double Sided Paper – Sophia [PM 951016] 
Prima Princess Double Sided Paper – Lily [PM 950989] 
Prima Princess Brads [PM 951115] Prima Princess Collection Kit [PM 951153] 
Prima Something Blue Collection Kit [PM 814137] 
AC Glitter Tape - Parfait 3/8 inch [AC 96005] 
Xcut Decorative Border Punch - Lace Trim [DXCU257104] 
AC Cardstock 12x12 Smooth – Coffee [AC NATURALS 71774] 
AC Cardstock 12x12 Smooth – White [AC NEUTRALS 71793]

The Wholesaler - Something blue I love you – layout and sketch

To be or not to be - bound by a product or theme? That is the question! I am not bound at all – take for instance the lovely new Prima Something Blue range. It is essentially a wedding range – meant to capture those beautiful engagement photos and wedding day memories. Well I haven’t had either – not a big or fancy engagement or wedding – just a private and intimate moment without the big commercial money making hype.
But I do have plenty of other special and significant memories. And that is why I love scrapbooking so much. I can take a range of products and papers and turn it into anything I want it to be – to love or adore until death parts me from it! So I used this stunning range to create a single page layout for the front of an album. A single photo that captures so much, tells a very personal story and combines my love for scrapbooking and my love for this guy. I also love all those special embellishments included in this range. The beautiful brads and enamel dots are a firm favourite – but what I absolutely adore is those little silver metal paper clips. These can be tucked away under photos and papers and adds that hint of something special and interesting – that little something that captures your imagination and makes you want to take in every single little hidden detail.


So while I am in love with this paper range and fresh colour palette – I am also very much in love with this guy and my life – and the best way I know how to capture this is through scrapbooking and memory keeping. So I leave you with a sketch of this layout – and we would love to see your version of this sketch and what you create with this stunning range of product.

i love all the embellishments in this range - how they fit together so beautifully!
To download the sketch for this layout head on over here http://www.thewholesaler.biz/blog/prima-something-blue/
Products used
Prima Something Blue Tags & Tickets [PM 573287].
Prima Something Blue Brads [PM 572761]
Prima Something Blue Double Sided Paper - Love Melodies [PM 813499]
Prima Something Blue Chipboard Stickers [PM 813734]
Something Blue Metal Paper Clips [PM 573010]
Prima Something Blue Collection Kit [PM 814137]
Prima Princess Wood Icons [PM 572907]
Mister Huey's Colour Mist - Opaque White [AC 101100]
Walnut Ink Crystals [TWI-001]
VersaFine Ink Pad - Onyx Black [TVF-82]
Stationers Desk Cling Stamp [PM 813994]

And remember you can order your favourite goodies from The Wholesaler and have them delivered to your local store for delivery!

Chiswick - adding colour and stamped details to die-cuts.

Die-cuts is a big thing in crafting these days – they are versatile and come in loads of designs, shapes and sizes. The nice thing about die-cuts is that you can use a myriad of products to change them and make them truly unique. Like the ones i used on my layout. I added colour using the gorgeous Pearlescent ink pads from Chiswick to build layers on top of my plain white die-cuts. The ink pads are available in different colours making them perfect for most craft projects and colour schemes.
I layered my ink colours to create beautiful patina looking die-cuts. I first used the blue to add a layer of blue onto the die-cut, and then a layer of green on top followed by a layer of brown dye ink to add a vintage feel on the edges. I also added a layer of dimensional glaze on selected areas of my die-cut and then  sprinkled small gold micro-beads in the glaze and left it to dry.
I used the same blue ink to colour plain white flowers so that they would match my layout perfectly. I added the ink onto my craft sheet and misted it with water, then dipped my flowers into the ink and left them to dry naturally for a multicolored paper flower.
I also used one of my favourite Chiswick stamp sets to add details onto my inked die-cut element. I inked up the stamp, then did a first stamp onto a piece of scrap paper before stamping onto my coloured die-cut – this removes some of the ink giving me a distressed look on the stamp element. This is a nice way to add some detail onto an image without overwhelming it.
i used the same layering of colour on my die-cut doily underneath my sticker – this pulls the colouring through from the left side of my layout onto the right hands side.
step 1 – add a layer of blue pearlescent ink onto your die-cut. Lightly press the ink pad onto the die-cut – do not pull the ink pad over the die-cut as this will pull the sponge off of its base.
step 2 – Add a layer of green pearlescent ink over the blue layer. You can use a sponge applicator to add the green on top of the blue or apply the green by dabbing the ink pad on top of the blue repeatedly until you are happy with the colour. Use a sponge dauber to blend the colours if need be.
step 3 – Use your sponge dauber to add a layer of brown dye ink around the edges of the die-cut.
step 4 – Stamp the coloured die-cut with a script stamp repeatedly to add some pattern onto the background. Ink the stamp using black ink and then make a first stamp onto scrap paper before stamping onto your die-cut. This removes some of the ink and gives a distressed look to your stamping.
All these wonderful Chiswick ink pads are available from your local craft store. To get a list of your closest store you can
contact Denise on 031 – 569 6116 or visit www.chiswick.co.za
and here’s a list of products i used as seen on the web

Pearlescent Ink Pad – Sky Blue rs3340
Pearlescent Ink Pad – Green rs3325
Clear Stamp – Feline Script 140 x 180mm (ER-A14) rs3170
3 in 1 Block Set with Interchangable Handle rs3070
Paper Petals – White 30 pieces pf1001
Purple Cow – 2 in one combo trimmer pc1040

until next time – have a wonderfully creative week

Couture Creations - Double embossed card.

welcome to today's post. i love textures - not something in your face but something subtle and barely there, gorgeous and delicate. So this week i decided to do one of my favourite things using embossing folders on a simple card.I combine two embossing folders to create a background effect on my cards and layouts. It really is so simple and effective but so so very easy.  You first emboss one pattern and then use a second embossing folder and emboss right over the first embossed design.
I used the Large Velvet Tea Lights embossing folder on a piece of Heidi Swapp patterned paper. Then I used the Only One embossing folder right over it. The first texture remains and gets flattened to a certain extent but is still visible, while the second folder design becomes more prominent.
I created my focal point using the Roses nesting die to create a flower on the front of my card. I cut the flowers out of different papers and then stamped them using a script stamp.
You can see the first design clearly visible just below the embossed and inked top edge of the second embossed image.
and a quick step x step of how i did it all....
emboss your patterned paper using the first embossing folder - this technique works well with most folders, but sometimes two designs are just not compatible and you have to try again and find the ones that ciompliment each other really well.
die-cut the roses out of different patterned papers in different sizes

emboss the paper again with the second embossing folder, and then lightly ink the edges using a sponge dauber and ink pad
I combined the embossed background onto a layer of the beautiful paper from the Damask Delight Paper pad and then added my finishing touches. I love how this card turned out using only a few elements. I hope this inspired you to try and combine your embossing folders together to create unique backgrounds for your cards and layouts.
I used these wonderful products from Couture Creations




Prima Embellishments – make a shabby shick pencil holder.

Prima embellishments are so much fun, and the new Ingvild Bolme collections are super functional as steam punk, shabby shick or just plain romantic. I think it is the versatility that gets me every time – the fact that I can use any of their embellishments on a layout, card or altered item and it just works. You know the feeling right? Yes you do! 

So this week I had an empty corn tin – yes me and my tins again. But I just find them so versatile and the fact that a piece of rusty metal won’t be poisoning the ground water somewhere is a big plus in my life at the moment. I think old age has brought a certain kind of awareness in me and I am acting on it!

So I used some chalk paint and painted the tin on the outside with duck egg blue and then added some wax to age it. a light sanding afterwards made the metal peek through just a bit. Using my Prima Princess paper I die-cut a border using my Cuttlebug machine and wrapped it around the top edge of my tin and adhered it with my Tombow Mono Multi adhesive – that stuff rocks!
As a focal point I layered 2 resin frames on top of each other. I used a circle sticker from the Princess Collection kit and added it behind my oval frame adhering the frame to it using Tombow glue again. In the meantime I added a layer of 3D gloss inside the frame and left it to dry to create a nice glass like finish.

I used my Tombow glue and added it to the oval frame and placed it on top of the rectangle frame and left it to dry really well before even lifting it. I then added the wings on top of the frame using a glue dot. The entire grouping was then adhered to the front of the tin with a silicone like adhesive – this enables me to remove it should I ever want to, but also keeps it in place really well. Bakers twine adds a nice finishing touch to the top edge of the tin.
It feels good to make something simple with such beautiful products – something that will make me happy but also make the earth a healthier place for every living creature! How will you turn your recycling products into something beautiful using Prima products?

Products used
Prima Junkyard Findings - Streampunk Air [PM 892289]
Prima Ingvild Bolme Resin Collection - Oval Frame [PM 892111]
Prima Ingvild Bolme Resin Collection - Baroque Frame [PM 892098]
Prima Princess Double Sided Paper – Sophia [PM 951016]
Prima Princess Collection Kit [PM 951153]
3D Clear Gloss 25ml [DANT763100]

Popular Posts

Like us on Facebook

Flickr Images