Ranger Melt Pot

Today i've mostly been playing with my Melt Pot... Made about 20 different tags and shapes. Wanting to try and make some of them into jewellery and the rest are for embellishments. Also learned that you have to apply Perfect Pearls onto the shape when it is still warm as if the shape goes cold the powder can't melt and shine. Suze Weinberg is right to say the more you buff the colour the more shine you will get, i am amazed at how my shapes have turned out, especially the central shape with the grungeboard butterfly and large gem stone attached to the middle with Pinflair glue.

Today i used mother of pearl, starry nights, moonstone lustre and clear. Used the UTTEE Flex crystals to make them more durable/suitable for jewellery.

Basic instructions for making the brooches:

1) Take a cardboard packing box and cut into size required to fit your die

2) Pick a large die from the Big Shot range, i chose the large flowers die cut. Cut out as many shapes as you need

3) Put the shapes through a Cuttlebug folder of your choice

4) Melt your chosen colour/colours of embossing powders, add UTTEE Flex and apply to the shapes

5) Leave to cool then cover the rear side of the shape with the same colour or if you prefer another colour, depends on how you want to finish your brooch

6) While still warm apply Perfect Pearls or Cosmic Shimmer to any areas of interest you wish to stand out

7) Use a Cropodile to put any holes you require if adding any beads to your project

8) Attach beads of choice

9) Apply pin to rear of brooch

You have now completed your enameled brooches.

Off to watch X Factor Final and then Sports Personality of the Year as hoping Jenson Button will get the award.

Have a lovely weekend and thank you for visiting my blog :-)

Tidying Up.....

Spent the last few days moving craft items around so as to make more room for the things I use everyday to be within easy reach. Continued to print off the T!m Holtz 12 tags of xmas instructions so can make into a book; also going to include my version of the tags within the book/journal.

Finally got the two stamp plates from Sheena Douglass yesterday, the Ivy and the Birds, both are lovely and was going to cut out and u mount them until I saw what Suze Weinberg does with hers before she cuts them up, go to her blog for more information. Ended up with a couple of Melt Pot originals and lots of other items. Instructions to follow. Used Perfect Pearls and Cosmic Shimmer powders to give some definition, quite pleased with the results.

Off to make a wedding card and two more xmas cards, all are for arty people, no pressure then but will do my creative best which isn't up to much today as foggy brain back again.

Aluminium Tape

This doesn't sound too exciting until you know that this is where i got the tape that Sheena Douglass uses on the tiny tins that she demonstrated a couple of weeks ago. I tried the massive DIY chain we all know but was confronted by a blank stare.....So, looked on the www for inspiration and found the tape on a specialist tape site.

Armed with the description called into my local builders yard of Travis Perkins, described the tape and found out that they keep this item in stock in most of their stores. It cost £5.60 for 45yds so purchased and can now start my tins after the mad card rush etc.

Hope this is of help and thank you for visiting my blog :-)

Anniversary

Been with my Partner nine years today, seems like a few months as time has flown by and doesn't seem to show signs of slowing down at all!!! Made a 5 x 5 bracket shaped mini book to celebrate this special occasion; there are mistakes but it was done overnight while couldn't sleep, that's my excuse.....lol, seems to have turned out okay and might even post a couple of the completed pages over the next couple of days.

Been to have a swine flu jab today, this as well as normal flu jab, must be well and truly covered now! Rest of the day has been spent being quiet together as we normally do, no xmas shopping to do as already done; cards are up and running; presents need to be wrapped and delivered, cards posted/delivered. Think going to make tag cards this year and not use up too much card in the process, really am trying to be as green as possible in my crafting.....

Is it just me or does it really feel like xmas right now? No, there are a few shops with decorations up but not many; maybe it's the recession attitude kicking in, something doesn't feel quite right yet hence not feeling the rush usually get when preparing for the season of goodwill to all man.

Going to enjoy the rest of our day now; pizza being delivered around 19.00, followed by melt in the middle Belgian puddings and washed down with a fab bottle of wine. Mmmmm can't wait for time to get to 19.00. See am really wishing my life away it's not time marching away on as i thought :-)

T!m Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas 2009

Have just downloaded tag 2 instructions from T!m Holtz blog, looks beautiful. The metal rose is an amazing idea, but what else do we expect from the man himself.

No time to make the tags at the moment as need to make all cards etc required for xmas. Here is an example of one of the card. Noticed that bracket shapes are one of 2010 trends in all sorts of areas.

Updated on 22 January 2010: Tim Holtz has designed new items to be released after the CHA show in January 2010, this shape features in some of his work. Loving the new items from T!m; hope you've seen them too and are liking them too.

Playing

Just updated my profile at Oyster Stamps where I am a member of the Pazzle Inspirations group, it is also for people who own any of the Cricut machines too.

Updated on 22 January 2010:

Tried to upload a picture, this image was not upside down when uploaded but this is how it appears. Will leave until figured out how to get around this problem. Been trying for four hours to sort out, giving up now and try another day :-)