Sunday, March 02, 2014

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition


There's a reason I gush every time I talk about Graphic 45 ... they deserve it.

Being a member of their design team this past year has been an incredible experience. I am so appreciative to have had the opportunity to work with their stunning products (seriously, every box is like Christmas!) but even more than that, to have had the privilege to be in such wonderful company. Truly, I have never met a kinder, more supportive group than my fellow design team members, and the entire Graphic 45 family.

How could I pass up the opportunity to audition for this years team? And so, here are a few of my favourite projects from this past year. (Titles link to the original post with additional pictures and supply lists.)


A Spooky Little Steampunk Spells Box   

A small (but mighty!) box altered with Steampunk Spells and embellished with Graphic 45 staples which paired perfectly with those amazing vintage metal feet!


Staycation Adventure Book

Unable to go to far away places this summer, I created an activity book for my kiddo.  Using vibrant G45 papers from a variety of collections and Regular Tag Album, I packed the pages with surprises and prompts for at home adventures.

Botanical Tea Cards

What can I say? Botanical Tea is just a dream to work with. It's stunning and absolutely perfect for making elegant cards... and even igniting a spark of inspiration!


Topsy Turvy Couture Album

 There were 14 layouts featuring Couture in this 8x8 Easel Album. Not being a layout artist, I found it  a huge challenge... but I'm so proud of the results. The vintage black and white photos worked so well with the classic look of the collection.


Floral Fairy ATC's

Using A Secret Garden and A Ladies' Diary I created a little set of ATC's. They aren't big or elaborate, but I think they are terribly sweet and elegant.


Postal Station No. 45

Typography is one on my very favourite collections and it was perfect for creating this miniature post office. Again, those Graphic 45 Staples come in handy and are put to good use as windows and doors on this piece.


Secret Garden Cubby Box

A pink and frilly, rather sentimental piece I created with bits of stash and papers from Secret Garden. This piece really just makes me dreamy eyed to look at it.

These projects show off a range of skills and styles, but they also represent some of the projects that I had the most fun creating. It really has been the most amazing year and I hope I'll be lucky enough to take part again. Each of my fingers and toes are crossed!

P.S. If you're thinking about auditioning for the design team... show off your awesomeness, be yourself and GO FOR IT! Here's the link to the Design Team call blog post.
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Friday, February 28, 2014

221B Baker Street Real Estate Links

I have one auction listing live. It can be found **SOLD**. I will list a second today, but I'm looking for an alternative to ebay. Listing that tin reminded me of all the reasons I stopped using ebay YEARS ago. Anywho, I'll update this post when I list the second tin later today. **SOLD**

Secondly... and most amazingly... check this out!


Those three little letters? That "Wow!" at the end? That's from the man himself, Arwel Wyn Jones, who created the brilliant BBC Sherlock set! Needless to say I just about fainted dead away ... 

... then, being me, I thought "Oh crap. What if he means 'Wow! what a nutter?"

... then I pushed that thought aside and decided to believe it was a nice 'Wow!' afterall :)

Good luck folks!
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Thursday, February 27, 2014

221B Baker Street - Redux Update!

First things first. I've completed two tins and they will be going up for auction tomorrow (ETA: BOTH ARE NOW SOLD). I will post the links to the auctions all over the place. You'll be fed up to the back teeth with me before this is through.

The details...

There are 10 new tins, at least 6 of them will be for sale (in some form or other) online. I will always post the where and when's prior to listing. (There will probably be an etsy listing next week.) I also wanted to say that I will not be making any more of these particular tins. In the distant future I may do the bullet marked wall or something else Sherlock related... but this particular design is being put to rest.

I'm really proud of this lot of little Baker St flats and I'm glad to have had the chance to improve upon the original and 'fix' a few things that ate away me. Here's a look at the completed pieces...



The fireplace is now much closer to the fabulous BBC Sherlock set, which is designed by the amazing Arwel Wyn Jones.





The tins do shut, but once again the chairs have to be removed... but I'll send along extra papery bits to mess up the apartment with to make up for that particular annoyance.



Finally (while I have your attention) I wanted to say a few words about The Undershaw Preservation Trust and ask you to consider taking a moment to 'Like' their facebook page. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle holds a very special place in my heart, not just as the creator of Sherlock, but as someone who had a deep interest in fairies. Preserving his home not only acknowledges the significant mark he left on the literary world and our very culture, but also respects his memory... something I believe he deserves.

 
The trust isn't accepting donations at this time, but I'll be holding on to one of these tins (for a while at least) in the hopes that the sale of one of these silly things can benefit their cause. We'll have to see what develops. Again, I'll keep you informed.

So that's it for now. If you're planning on bidding I wish you all the luck in the world. If not, thanks for being nosy.

SMOOCH!




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Artist Trading Blocks for Graphic 45

A few Artist Trading Blocks created for Graphic 45 using Good Ol Sport. It’s great fun to create these tiny 3 dimensional works of art and I thought it would be a fabulous medium for the Good ol Sport collection. They remind me of little trophies! How great would these look in a masculine den or sports lovers room?

 
A few tips for making your own: The top finials and bottom stands are simply miscellaneous wooden pieces adhered together. Old wooden knobs and pulls, chess pieces, crafting pieces pieced together until they look just right. Once painted or stained they look as though they are one piece. Add some age to the pieces by grunging them. Sand all of the edges and then staining them with dark brown, watered down acrylic paint. To protect the finished project, coat with a light sealant.



There's more pics over on the Graphic 45 blog, along with other beautiful projects by Olga and Miranda :)

Materials List:
 Good ol Sport
Number 1 Fan
Cheer On
Victory
Play Ball
Teamwork
Champion
Touchdown
Game Day
Big Score
Ornate Metal Keys
Wooden Block
Rusty bits and bobs
Wooden Egg Cup
Small Wooden Finial
Miscellaneous old wooden knobs, pulls and pieces
Acrylic paint
Sealant
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

In Praise of Odd Birds

I wrote you a poem.

Yes you.

While working on my 'Odd Bird' projects for Alpha Stamps my mind did turn affectionately to the odd birds I have come to know and love. And I do love them... you... you with the ruffled feathers who believes in magic and embodies kindness.

So I wrote a few rhyming words and made a little book in praise of odd birds. (Don't squint... the full text is at the end.)








Cherish the odd birds 
With their hedgehog plumes
Who sing wild songs
In quiet little rooms

Delight in the sparrows
Overflowing with strange dreams
So filled to the brim
They are splitting at the seams

 Marvel at the darlings
Who smile with crooked teeth
Whose wings are not straight
But who have the brightest cheeks

Cherish the odd birds
The irregular and quirky
For they are beams of hopeful light
When all the world seems murky


Stay odd. For I love you as you are, and it suits you :)


And with gratitude to Alpha Stamps, here is the great big supply list for that little book:

P.S. The 'Curiosity' papers listed above are rather beautiful :)

Check out the Alpha Stamps newsletter for even more pretties :) 
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Monday, February 24, 2014

221B Update: Slippers, stacks and love

Still plugging away. This weekend was spent making little stacks of magazines, end tables, rugs, slippers, and mantle statues. There are still a few interior items to make like tiny pen knives, portraits and bat specimens.

 

Although the guts of 221B still need attention, I turned my focus to the exterior for a while. The original door numbers are very sweet and I rather like their handmadeness (my word, I'm keeping it) but I wanted something a little more polished for the new set.


Pardon the muddled and messy appearance, they are a bit wet and very much 'in progress' here. Scouring my usual crafty sources it was pretty clear that teeny weeny golden numbers were not going to be easily had. After a great deal of trial and error (mostly error of course) I hobbled together a 221B stamp and used gold embossing powder to create the numbers.

I am now deeply in love with embossing powder. Don't tell Cumberbatch, I wouldn't want him to get jealous :P
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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Graphic 45 By The Sea Matchbox

I've been waiting AGES to show off this project, created with the lovely seaside themed papers "By The Sea" from Graphic 45. It's featured over on their blog today so I can finally show it off!


The base of the piece is a Graphic 45 Staples 8x8 Matchbook Box. If you're unfamiliar with them, they are sturdy (truly!) kraftboard boxes that look like this...


I embellished like crazy, did loads of fussy cutting and ended up with something quite nice :) The layered bunting effect at the top with the stamps, starfish and snippets is one of my favourite elements of this piece.


Check out that octopus paper covering the box. That's Gathering Shells and the reverse is covered in starfish! "By the Sea" is such a fun collection with a lovely colour pallet. Slightly subdued for a bit of an aged, vintage feel with wonderful graphics.


Perhaps the element I'm most pleased with...


... the wheels! I have utilized those Ornate Metal Key Holes for all sorts things. Now here they are holding some small wooden wheels in place. Proof you should never be afraid of turning things upside down ;)

More photos on the G45 blog and here's the complete supply list:


Ornate Door Plate

Wooden Craft Wheels
Small Wooden Buttons/Wheels
Twine


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