What's On Your Workbench Wednesday (WOYWW) 207 Plus Winner Of Looper

I nearly forgot today is WOYWW and time to share what is on your work desk with other arty souls around the World. If you want to join in or know what WOYWW is go to Julia's blog. I'm still intermittently working on my hand made jewellrey but I have stopped a few times to do some paper crafting as well. This is how my desk was when I went in there at lunchtime today...rather unruly I think LOL.

The bright card at the left is this one and how to make these is below this post

At the back are some cuffs I made. The one at right was finished last night, the one at left was from last week and behind them is one I want to change and use the larger resin filled bezel on it, that is beside it.

Behind the cuffs at the right are an old painting I have done and a mixed media background awaiting decorating. I have the painting on my desk as I walked past it a few days ago and realized the edges have faded due to people picking it up off the shelf in my hallway. There are also some discoloured spots on her face. When I have my metal mania out of the way I'll pull out the paints and fix her plus finish the mixed media card
.

This cuff is one I was working on last night. It was one of the cuffs that needed repairing from last week. I've taken it off it's old etched cuff and will cold connect it to the new etched cuff. I'm about to drill holes in the old watch part (which is now filled with resin, bird image and tiny eggs) and then I'll attach it onto the new cuff. The wings and cogs are ready to go on as well to the left of it.

This is the sort of arty alchemy I create as I work ROFL.

Now onto who the winner of my spare 1 step looper...it was number 25 which is Ike. ...well unless she doesn't want it and then I shall generate another person to gift it too :o)

Off to snoop on others desks. Before I go my heart and best wishes go out to those affected by the tornado in Oklahoma....just so devastating to hear about the loss of lives...esp children...and see the damage. Also my hands only have a few scabs left yeha...they did prove impossible not to pick at!!
hugs
Annette In Oz

Tipnique Tuesday-Pop Up Card or Place Setting Card Holder

Into my large book of tips and techniques I went this morning and found a project I had actually never done myself!. Awhile ago I went thru my VERY large collection of magazines and pulled out projects that appealed to me, thru the magazine away (even if I was in it!) and this was one of those projects. It was from Stamping and Papercrafts but the page I have doesn't have by who. The project in the magazine was for making a place card holder but it could easily be used as a type of pop up card. As I have said before when I do tips and techniques I'll try to keep my samples simple so anyone starting on their stamping journey can feel they can achieve the project. Here is my sample:

   
               MATERIALS

•  piece of card stock that measures 29cmx12cm. Start with A4 card stock and use the remaining piece to stamp or images to the center piece.
• Ruler, pencil, rubber sharp craft knife, bone scorer and craft mat.
• Double sided tape or roller glue.
• Stamps and embellishments of your choice.

               HOW TOO

1) Measure and mark a dot on each long side of the 29cmx12cm card stock. Start at edge and measure in 1.5cm, then from that dot measure and mark a dot at 4.0cm. Continue along from each dot marking dots at 2.5cm, 4cm, 25cm, 2.5cm, 4.0cm, 2.5cm, 4.0cm and lastly at 1.5cm.

2) Score along all marked dots. Rub out dots.

3) Bend center scored line so it is a valley fold. Bend all other scored lines to make mountain folds. If you want to colour the card stock, stamp or apply rub ons do so now.

4) Apply glue or tape only to each 1.5cm end.

5) Fold each side over to ward back and press the glued area in place. Leave front center part unglued.

 6) Decorate you cut off card stock from the A4 card as desired and cut it down to fit in the slot you created above. Now apply glue to both sides of the slot.

7) Press decorated piece onto one side of glued area and then press other side against that

here is the completed card from the side.

These can be folded flat to fit an envelope after you have completed them.  If ANYONE wants this or any other tips and techniques I have shared on my blog, in a word document please just e-mail me (address at right) and I'll send that too you. :o). You can adjust the 12cm width to smaller or larger proportions to suit your needs.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Blog change

Hi all
it appears the white writing on the black back ground causes quite a few people trouble in actually reading my blog so I'm trying a different look. If anyone can let me know what they think of this look that would be awesome ;o)
hugs
Annette In Oz

What's On Your Workbench Wednesday 206 (WOYWW) + A GIVEAWAY!!!

Sheesh it's Wednesday again and here I am sharing my messy desk for What's On Your Workbench Wednesday (WOYWW). If you want to know about this  or join in and share your desk  and snoop on other's desks around the World go to Julia's blog. It took up to yesterday till the pain and weeping sores settled from me having a bad reaction to having 21 skin cancers frozen off (burnt!! off).my hands and fingers with nitrous oxide. I now have lovely dry scabs everywhere but I can bend my knuckles again.

I had to take some photos of my desk yesterday and everything was neat and tidy as I didn't go in there to try and create till after dinner. On going in there today to take my photos  my desk is a wee bit of a cluttered mess as last evening I finished one of my cuffs. I must explain too that the room I create in is dark as it faces a very wide verandah. We had it made wider then usual as I live in a cyclone affected area so if one came close we can fit three cars out there to protect them BUT it doesn't let much daylight into my room. Even in the middle of the day I use 3 lights when I need to be in there :o)

 
This container of my steampunk goodies is sitting on my chair

Here you can see the finished cuff behind my soldering brick and I am about to solder my steam punk etched eye ball. At the back are my tiny screws, rivets and eyelets.

A closer look at the cuff. I have to clean up the excess resin drips yet but you get the idea.

I used to just use E6000 for attaching things to my cuffs or fine wire but this time I used tiny screws and nuts, then soldered underneath the cuff to ensure nothing falls off ever. With jewellery glue it does yellow a little over time and parts have fallen off in time too. I have a pain issue with my shoulders so I was very thankful I have a drill press and dremel to do any sort of work for me that involves putting pressure thru my shoulders at the moment. Hopefully the specialist I see next week can help me with settling that down.

At the top right of the craft mat is a jewellrey set I made in the past that needed a polish

Behind this is a new card that is a folded box that you open. Instructions to make it are below this post here

On the right side of my desk are some tools, more Ice Resin filled bezels and a puffy etched metal heart awaiting to be assembled soon. At the back right is Black Patina to age metal with and another few pieces of old hand made jewellery that need repair.

At back top left are some of my "torture" tools LOL

Oh and did I try the 1 step looper...well yes I did...it's an awesome tool. There is my first eye pin I have made with it...it's not the best sample as I forgot to bend back a little at the end to give it a better shape. In a twist I had a second 1 step looper arrive yesterday. I pre ordered the one on the left but got an error at the website saying it didn't go thru so I went to a different site and bought the other one.. Then after the second arrived I got an e-mail saying the first one had processed and was on it's way AAARRRGG

Since I now have two I think it's time for me to have a give away again. So please leave me a comment if you wish to be in the draw and I'll draw a winner for next weeks WOYWW.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Tipnique Tuesday-Box Card How Too

I pulled out a folded box from my folder of tips and techniques this week. Then I spent 2 hours trying to remember how to make it!! I put it back in the folder thinking I would have to pick something else only to turn the page and find my old instructions on how to make it LOL. I learnt how to do these one year at Stamping Down Under. I think it may have been Ellen Eadie whom taught it maybe? We were not given any instructions so I made it over and over again so I wouldn't forget how but putting it hidden away in my tips and techniques book for years and years meant I did forget how to do it...just as well I also wrote myself a how too way back then as well.

Below is a decorated box card I just made. I used gold vellum, folded the box shape, scored all lines and then stamped and embossed the flourish pattern on it. If you have used vellum before and tried stamping, embossing and then folding you would know the embossed parts fall off when you fold and score so hence why I folded. scored and then stamped and embossed instead

You gently open the box to reveal what is inside. I've put lollies, confetti and even money in these in the past.

                                  Box Card How Too

Practice this on copy paper first. If you get the measurements slightly wrong the center front folds will vary in size. You can hide this when you fold the flaps of the box in later steps.

1) Cut down an A4 piece of paper to measure 28cm by 21cms (11inches by 8 and a half  inches). Place it in the landscape orientation

 2) Lightly mark the center at top and bottom. You can do this by measuring or by folding the paper in half and gently pinch the center only at either edge. I marked mine with a black marker so you can see it clearly.

3) TURN PAPER OVER and lightly mark the center with a dot. You can do this by measuring or fold paper in half and gently pinch the center only. Do not score. Unfold and fold paper in half in other direction and gently pinch the paper in the center  Open it out and you will have a "cross" mark and the center intersection is the center of your paper.

4) Fold bottom up to middle marking and score along the folded edge.

 Repeat with top.

5) Unfold and TURN PAPER OVER.

Fold top corners into dot in center of top edge. ONLY score from top crease to first fold line

Do same to both sides. My Ice Resin filled bezel is only there to hold the paper down so I could take a photo.

Unfold and repeat this step to bottom part. It should look like the image below.

6) Lightly mark the four points that the creases made in previous step. TURN PAPER OVER.

Bend the left side over were the first two pencil dots are that you just marked and score along the folded edge.

Unfold and do the right side the same way.

Unfold it to look like image below.

7) Fold top and bottom to center as you did in step 4. Score folded edges and leave it closed.

8) Hold right side closed with your right hand (or ruler if you are taking a photo LOL). With your left hand place it under the left side and begin folding it toward the center

Let the corners open outward and collapse flat, forming wings. Score the wing folds. DO NOT UNFOLD.

9) Fold the wings in to meet at center. Score folded edges. DO NOT UNFOLD.

10) Now you can fold the flap back to the left over the wing or I prefer a neater look by folding the flap back to left half way and then fold over again. This makes a smaller sturdier flap and also if you have measured slightly wrong and have two flaps that are not quite the same size you can hide the fault under the first fold on the flap

11) Repeat to the other side

Pull it open to reveal the box inside

Practice a few times and then try using decorative paper/card or stamped paper/card inside and out :o). Attach to a card base as I did with my sample. Enjoy.

hugs

Annette In Oz