Monday 30 September 2013

Altered Art - September Challenge and a Design Team Call!

Welcome to another challenge with the Crafting Cafe.
We had some amazing entries to our challenge last month.
You are all really talented!

This month we would like to challenge you to do some
"Altered Art"
Now, that can be anything at all that you alter....

This months challenge is sponsored by

Regular Sponsor
Teri is very kindly offering a prize of 
4 of her beautiful digi images to one lucky winner!
So the theme for this month is

Altered Art

We are also having a Design Team call out!
If you would like to join our fabby team for a six month term we'd
love to see what you like to create.....
All you need to do is add DT after your name when you link up to this months challenge!
 Let us know a bit about you and what you like to do in your blog post.
Let us know why you would like to join us too.
If you don't want to be a DT member, no problem, we would still love
 to see what youcreate for this months challenge.
Just add your name, as usual, and leave off the DT bit.

We are really excited to see the creations this month!
Remember to check back over the month and see what the design team
have been creating to inspire you, using Teri's gorgeous images!

Before I go, don't forget to check back on the 6th for our winners post!
Happy crafting
Nikki x

Saturday 28 September 2013

Altered Book Pages for a card

Altered Book Pages for a card by Neil Burley
This month, as you've probably seen, we're sponsored by the fabulous Delicious Doodles - I chose the Pansy and Butterfly from their extensive catalogue for my altered art project.

For this card, I set my page size in MS Word to that of a trimmed old page from a dictionary and an ancient do-it-yourself book, added the digistamp and then printed it three times using my laser printer. The first layer I gesso'd front and back which gives it a translucent chalky background whilst allowing the text to show through, and it also strengthens the paper. I dried it off with my heat tool and then cut round the outside outline.

The next layer I painted the frame pink with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink reinker - I painted the square all the way round, going over the foliage and flowers. Once dry, I sealed both sides of the paper with spray fixative and dried it - again to strengthen the paper. After drying it thoroughly I roughly cut round the inside edge of both sides of the whole image.

The top layer is completed in the same way, the pansies using Dusty Concord and Mustard Seed with Mowed Lawn for the leaves. The butterfly is a mix of Faded Denim, Dusty Concord, Broken China, Victorian Velvet and Worn Lipstick. I used Distress Markers to colour in the smallest areas. The body is dilute Black Soot. After drying thoroughly, I again sealed with spray fixative, dried and then fussy cut out the butterfly and flowers and foliage.

I stuck the gesso layer to the card with matt multi-medium before layering the others using foam pads. I finished it off with a peel off greeting.

A couple of things to note - old book paper is a lot more likely to tear and seems more fragile than new paper, which is why I strengthen with gesso or spray fixative. You can get shading on the flowers/foliage/butterfly by drying the distress inks and then popping another layer of the same colour over the top. I had no problem with the printer feed, though I wonder how successful this would be with an inkjet as the paper might be that much more absorbent.


Saturday 21 September 2013

A Bit Of Altered Art Fun

Hi all, it's Dawn here with a bit of fun & useful altered art for you!
Firstly, may I apologise to this month's lovely sponsor Teri Sherman of 

Grab a Banner
 This particular item does not showcase any of her fabby images.
 Also, I must confess I didn't make this item but I just had to share it with you!


This is a catscraper, made by my beloved husband for our fur babies!
The design was originally inspired by the Chrysler Building! lol
I also have to confess, he didn't design it but he did create it from 
recycled/upcycled/altered cardboard boxes.
If you'd like to make one of these little beauties for your furry friends
you'll find instuctions and templates here!
I hope you like this project & I hope you can join our 
"Altered Art"
challenge this month!
Don't foget we are looking for some new DT members to join our fun team.
If you're interested, just add DT after your name when you link up your
Altered Art project!
Happy Crafting
 xx Dawn & The Crafting Cafe DT xx

Thursday 19 September 2013

Altered Art Inspiration

Hi Folks
Mags here with a little inspiration for this month's altered art challenge.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Delicious Doodles and I used a super image - Pansy and Butterfly frame for my project.

I decided to alter a chocolate box that I had been saving and I went from this


to this


For details of how I created this please pop by my blog here.

Just a reminder that we also have a DT call on at the moment.  If you want to be part of our talented and fun team just add DT after your name when you link your entry.

Happy Crafting
Mags
x

Monday 16 September 2013

Altered Art + a DT Call - Claire

Hi Everyone

It's my turn, Claire S, today to share my project for this month.

The theme for September is 'Altered Art' and this month we are sponsored by Delicious Doodles.

Teri is very kindly offering a prize of 
4 of her beautiful digi images to one lucky winner!

I decided to alter an empty hot chocolate container and turn it into a pen pot for my desk:




I printed my digi stamp from Delicious Doodles onto SplodgeAway High Res card and coloured it using Dewent Inktense watercolour pencils.
I cut it to the same size as the hot chocolate container and attached it using extra strong tape.
I then added the green ribbon around the bottom of the tin and the pale blue ribbon at the top.
And that's it - a beautiful pen pot!


We are also having a Design Team call out!

All you need to do is add DT after your name when you link up to this months challenge!

If you don't want to be a DT member, no problem, we would still love
 to see what you create for this months challenge.
Just add your name, as usual, and leave off the DT bit.
Click HERE to link up your project for September.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Claire x

Friday 13 September 2013

Altered Art and DT Call - Amanda

Hi all, Amanda here with some inspiration for this month's altered art challenge.  I chose the beautiful Pansy & Butterfly Frame image from our lovely sponsors Delicious Doodles and I've managed to combine three of my favourite pastimes in this project: crafting, gardening, and eating custard :-) 



It's a seed storage pot, but it started life as an empty custard tin.  For more info about the project, please visit my blog here.

Don't forget we are running a DT call alongside the challenge this month.  If you want to be part of our fun team, all you need to do is add DT after your name when you link up your project! Enter the challenge here.

Happy crafting!

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Altered Art & DT Call - Dawn

Good morning all, Dawn here
with a quick & simple Altered Art project for you!


I altered a candle by adding the wonderful image
who are sponsoring our challenge this month!
Simples!
For more info about my project, visit my blog!
Don't forget we are running a DT call alongside the challenge this month.
If you want to be part of our fun team, all you need to do is 
add DT after your name when you link up your project! 
Enter the challenge here

Monday 9 September 2013

Day 9 - Altered Art

Oh, I struggled with this one!  There were so many possibilities and so many wonderful images from our sponsor, Delicious Doodles.  Once I narrowed my digi choice to Lovey-Dovey Silhouette, I went thru my stash and this is what I came up with:


And the result was this:


I printed the image on some smooth & sparkly white paper the cut it down to fit inside the frame.  I painted the frame white and stuck some black and clear rhinestones on the right side of the frame.  I covered the rest in glass glitter by Stampin Up!  I added some white lace bows and white flowers on the corner and placed some glass diamonds inside.

Friday 6 September 2013

Winners & Top 3 - A Baby Is Born + A DT Call

Hi everyone ,it's time to announce the Winner & Top 3 of our
"A Baby Is Born" Challenge.
We didn't have a great number of entries for this challenge but
I have to say that the standards of those we did have were very high!
Choosing the Top 3 proved to be a difficult task indeed!
Without further ado here are our winners!

Mr Random.org chose #14 JennyH as our winner!
Here's her lovely card!
Congratulations Jenfa!
Please email us at : craftingcafe@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Grab your winners badge & wear it with pride
on your side bar!
Winner's badge
Now, on to the Top3 in no particular order
#2 Calypso


#15 Avril Watson


#20 Mimi


Congratulations to you all, your creations were awesome!
Please take your Top 3 badge & wear it with pride on your side bar!
Top 3 Badge

Now, we are sad to announce the departure of several DT Members.
We are wishing a fond farewell to
Lindsey, Ria, Debbie, & Michelle B
We'd like to thank each & every one of you for your valuable input 
to both the setting up of this challenge blog & the inspirational posts over
the last few months! We will miss you!
We wish you all the very best in your new ventures!
We also have to say  goodbye for now to Christine who is taking
a break to concentrate on other projects for a bit!
Haste Ye Back Christine!

So now, on to the exciting part!
We are currently running a DT call!
If you'd like to join our fun team & create something inspirational
for our challenges, please be sure to enter this months challenge
"Altered Art"
Add DT to the end of your name on the Linky & that's it!
It would be helpful if you added a little something about yourself to your
 blog post & we'd love to hear a little about why
you'd like to join us too!
We are looking for all levels of crafters so don't be shy, link up your project & let us
 see what you like to create!
Good Luck all!
xx Nikki, Dawn & The Crafting Cafe DT xx

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Countdown

Hey everyone in blog land - Nikki here....
This month here on The Crafting Cafe we are doing "Altered Art". 
Now I know to a lot of people they shy away thinking that altered art is difficult ... 
it's not... and trust me - it's sooooo much fun!
You can alter anything.... from pencils to notepads or bigger projects like boxes or wardrobes!
 The sky really is the limit.
We would love to see what you can alter this month..
Here is my inspiration post for you,

This started off it's life as a scrapbook page, you know - the chipboard kind.....
Well I couldn't leave it alone...... and......... everyone knows how much i love Christmas....
So, I have made a countdown calender for Christmas.... yay..



So, there are only 112 days to go! Whoop whoop...
Come on over and play along with us - remember we also have a DT call out.... just remember to put DT behind your name if you want to be considered for the DT....
We really would love to see what you are creating with the theme this month. SO do share with us...
I'm off to have a look around blogland now....
Happy crafting x
Nikki x