May Projects - By Margaret Mifsud

 Hello everyone and welcome to the 2Crafty Blog.  So glad you could drop by.

It's Margaret here to share my projects for May.  This month I have created two cards
 and a cover for a small Journal I am working on.


FEMININE CARD

The papers used are from Megs Garden's Forgotten Meadows Book Kit.

2Crafty Chipboard used

 Card Word Circles - Happy Birthday

 Foliage Set 1

 Decorative Rod Set 2

 Stitched Lace Border

Pretty Flowers

All the chippies were treated in the same manner.  Firstly painted with
white acrylic paint and then lightly daubed or swiped with orange.

I had already used a small piece from one of the lengths of the Decorative Rod Set 2 on a previous 2Crafty project (HERE) so I simply cut out the centre section from the leftovers and inserted it between the paper layers. 

I also cut a piece from the Stitched Lace Border and inserted that between the layers at the bottom of the card.  I really love these decorative strips.  You can easily colour them to match your project and they are a great alternative to lace or ribbon.  I think they look fabulous.
You can just see one of the Pretty Flowers peeking out from underneath the cluster.

I started painting these leaves from the Foliage Set from the middle outwards and decided I really liked the graduated shading and so I left them that way. 
The Card Word Circles are such a great way to add your greeting.  Again, it is so easy to colour them to suit your project and adding a touch of glitter, as I have done here, makes them look really special.

JOURNAL COVER

The papers are from Megs Garden's Forgotten Meadows Book Kit.
Used some paste through a stencil and added a little texture.

2Crafty Chipboard used

 Stitched Lace Border

Tiny Leaf Stems

 Mini Flourish Pieces

 Leafy Rounds

All the chippies were first coated with gesso and then the Tiny Leaf Stems were painted with a deep green acrylic paint and daubed with 'Peeled Paint' paint dauber.  I also rubbed the edges lightly with a gold stamp pad but, unfortunately, that doesn't show up in the photos.

The Stitched Lace Border  and the Mini Flourish were coloured with 'Burnt Sienna' acrylic paint and then covered with Crackle Accents.  Once they were dry, I rubbed over them with 'Gathered Twigs' Distress Ink to accentuate the cracks.

Here is a sneak peek of the inside of the Journal showing the Leafy Round.  This was also coated in gesso and then daubed with 'Peeled Paint'  and 'burnt Sienna' acrylic paint.  The tiny berries were coloured in bright red paint so they would stand out.  This is one of my favourite chippies, it is so delicate and unusual and looks fabulous on any project,

A CARD FOR OFF THE RAILS

2Crafty Chipboard is a major sponsor at Off the Rails for the month of
May and I was thrilled to be one of the Guest Designers.

Here is the mood board..

... and this is the card I created.

The papers are from Kaisercraft's Base Coat Mini Pad.

 2Crafty Chipboard used

 Bubble Clumps

 Numbers Panels

Hessian Patch Panel

 Mini Word Set

The Bubble Clump was painted with a navy Blue acrylic paint and then inserted
 between the paper layers.

The Hessian Panel was simply swiped with a VersaMagic stamp pad in Midnight Black.  I really adore this chippy.  I love using it as a background for a flower cluster or, in this case, as the base for the Numbers Panel.

The Numbers Panel was first swiped with Versacolor stamp pads in black, red and light blue and then it was coated with Viva Clear Crackle paint.  I'm afraid I got a bit impatient here and decided to dry it with a heat gun.  Got a little too close in a couple of spots and ended up with a few bubbles but, overall, I love the effect.  Very different from how it looks when left to dry naturally.  After it was dry, and cooled off, I swiped it over again with the same stamp pads just to deepen the colour. 

I usually decorate the inside of my cards with some strips of paper and, this time,
 I also added one of the words from the Mini Word Set.

It was coloured with VersaMagic Midnight Black and coated with Glossy Accents.

Once everything was glued down and dry, I randomly splattered some gesso around the card.
This is becoming one of my signature techniques for masculine cards.  Seems I do it
 on just about every one now.  LOL!!

Thank you for visiting here today and I hope you have enjoyed my May projects as much as I have enjoyed presenting them to you.  I hope you have been inspired to add some 2Crafty goodies to your own creations.

February Shares from Helen 2 Layouts & A Canvas!

Hi everyone!  HELEN back with you today to share what I have been up to lately  using the fabulous 2Crafty Chipboard!
 Firstly I used  the "Valentine's Hearts"  to create a layout for Scrap Around The World!  You get the double-heart  (on the left) & TWO Single hearts (as seen on the right) so I still have one left over!

For this rather grungy layout I simply inked the chippie pieces randomly 

with black ink, leaving parts of them raw.  I also used a couple of "Tiny

Leafy Stems" that come in a 4 pack, so have half that pack left over too.

I often use my chipboard to anchor some thread, as I like using threads a lot

 but not unless I can keep them in place.  Chippie works perfectly for this.

To get the variegation on my Leafy Stems I shaded my chipboard with Gelatos.

Gelatos are a great item for chipboard as they require no primer & do not

 cause the chipboard to become wet like mists & sprays do.  

"Gorgeous"

Next up is the layout I contributed earlier this month to the CSI Challenge site 

HERE where some of us 2Crafty Chipboard ladies are guest designing.

I used the "Hello" from one of the  "Circle Word Sets" that comes in a multipack

 of 6 words.  For all the chipboard pieces on this page I inked them in Olde Golde

then sponged lightly & randomly with gesso {white acrylic paint will work fine too}.

The "Gorgeous" word/title is finely cut in a beautiful font.  I love 

the way the classy 2Crafty Chipboard titles really finish off a page.

Lastly I used an "Edgar Swirl" which I LOVE the look of here!!  They come in

 a double-pack & add the perfect touch of class right where you need it :)

"My Sister My Friend CANVAS"

Lastly I created this cute little canvas for my younger daughter's bedroom,

using the "Love Circle Word" from one of the "Circle Word Sets" as well as 

some ''Chicken Wire", an "Tiny Vivian's Frame" & the "My Sister, My Friend" title.  

I really enjoyed creating this pretty piece.  It is nice & small so even though

 there is a lot of luscious detail it didn't take me too long!  I glittered up the

 chipboard with high quality glass glitter that is really shiny!!

You can't really go wrong with pink & purple, glitter, sequins & micro-

beads for young girls & all of them look great on or around chipboard!

Just for interest sake - the black grid box you see on my canvas is actually Prima

 Plywood packaging from their wooden embellishments.  I have kept all the little

 boxes as they fit small canvases perfectly & are less than one inch deep

 so make perfect little printer's trays/shadow boxes.  

 And remember, to find a 2Crafty stockist near you, drop an email to...
salesat2crafty@optusnet.com.au

Helen Tilbury's July Post An Inspirational Canvas, a Set of 3 Cards & a Penguin Page!

Hello to you all today!  HELEN back with you  to share my July projects with y'all!

First I made a canvas for myself!  I needed something to take pride

 of place above my workspace {there is a little patch of wall above

 the blinds as my work area is in front of two lovely big windows}.  

Hence the reason why my canvas is a landscape orientation.  

The size is 10 inches high by 14 inches wide.  {approximately 25cm x 35cm).

I used the "Always Follow Your Dreams" title.  

The 2Crafty titles are beautifully balanced & in the very prettiest of fonts.  

They add the perfect touch to every project.  I always prime my chipboard with 

white acrylic paint {you could use gesso - acrylic paint is just cheaper for me!} then

 I painted it with an Adirondak Paint Dabber in Raspberry {a must-have Ranger

 colour} then sprayed over it with some pink mist to give it a sparkly touch.  

I used a card with an inspirational quote on it & around the card I used a giant 11" 

Florabella frame.  I painted it with white acrylic paint then sprinkled it with tiny

 glass beads while the paint was still wet.  I adore the sparkly look this gives.  

I used a plastic vintage doily as a stencil, together with some hard modeling 

paste, that I embossed with white gold embossing powder whilst still wet.

It has an awesome sheen to it in real life!

Around my sentiment & over my frame, in the top left & bottom right hand 

areas only, I clustered numerous flowers & tucked various pieces of 2Crafty 

chipboard leaf designs underneath them, together with some glass pebbles

 from the home decor store & some misted up gauze from the pharmacy!

I used the leafy silhouettes {see far left} which I LOVE because they are just the 

outline of the leaves only.  I also used some leafy twig branches, some Summer

 leaf stems & some Tiny leaf stems.  I also used the Tree with Sparrows, just a 

section of it together with 2 of the sweet little birds, as well as 3 shrubs from a 

couple of Shrub Sets.  I painted up my leaves using some green mica paint for

 shimmer, then on some of them I added some green art glitter whilst still wet. 

 I have a leaf green & a lime shade.  I also used Gold so there are several 

co-ordinating goldy green colours going on & it looks nice & dimensional!

Next up I decided to make a trio of cards.   Very unusual for me as I don't choose cards usually but I've decided I need to  become more versatile as a crafter & create more ''other" projects aside from layouts {for example art journal pages, canvases, cards, etc!}

For my first card {below} I used the Leafy Twig Branches which I painted green 

then embossed with a two-tone white/green embossing powder.  If you are a 

lover of chipboard & altering it then embossing powders are a must.  They're

 a little expensive so I suggest buying them slowly to build up your stocks.  

I also used part of "Tree with Sparrows" in my bottom cluster.  2Crafty has SO MANY 

beautiful leaves, flowers & flourishes that I suggest  you get hold of a selection so you can mix & match them when tucking them into your floral clusters, as I have done this month.

Making Mixed Media cards can be messy so I worked on all 3 at the 

same time to get the most out of my dirty stencils & spatula!

For my 2nd card I used the Dandelions.  They come in a set of 3 & I used just 2 of them.

They are really an IN design at the moment & I love how they look.  I embossed mine

with green embossing powder which I then sponged over with gesso to highlight.

I always use either hot glue {which is very strong & effective but takes control & practice to apply) or Tombow Mono Adhesive (the little white bottle with the green writing) which is a great glue for small items.  It dries clear & is really strong but fast setting so no mistakes!

For my last card I used a heart from the Ornate Heart Set (of 2).

I've used these hearts quite often as I'm crazy about heart symbols

(I have them all over my house!) & these ones are lovely. 

 I embossed this one with a greeny bronze embossing powder.

If you enjoy the mixed media look & want to try it out for yourself you need to start 

adding some extra texture to your projects.  This can be easily achieved by using

 thread (that you just unspool & drop onto your layout/card/etc in a creative bundle!)

 Then use chipboard to ''anchor" it by gluing it on top of it, or, even easier 

& prettier I think, use gauze.  It is so inexpensive & you can buy it in 

pre-cut squares at the pharmacy.  It also mists up really easily 

using your spray mist & water spray to blend & dilute.  

Now onto my final project. 

 It's one I created back in

 February & you can see more of it on my blog HERE.  

I used a combination of 2Crafty swirls & corners to create my photo & cluster mat  for this layout & gesso dabbed the chipboard only before glazing it for a shiny finish. 
 As this page was about my Daughter's obsession with Penguins I kept the colour  palette cool & wintery.  Thanks for looking at my creations today - I hope that I  inspired you in some way to create using 2Crafty Chipboard!   HELEN       And remember, to find a 2Crafty stockist near you, drop an email to...
salesat2crafty@optusnet.com.au