My little crafting world....


Hi all
I'm a complete craft addict! I have a small business called Surrey Crafts teaching craft workshops from my studio in Esher, Surrey and at venues around the country. I teach mixed media, decorative painting, card making and papercrafts, jewellery making and creative embroidery classes. If you'd like to find out more just leave a comment, or take a look at my other social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surrey.crafts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surreycrafts/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/surreycrafts/
Crafty hugs & stuff
Suz

xx

Friday 17 April 2020

Retro Spark Plug Wall hanging for Andy Skinner's Creative Team

A little project today inspired by a spark plug I found!
It started with a kit.....Andy's Gelli Plate 3D canvas kit from Tando Creative, plus lots of Creative Expressions goodies!
Olive Grove and Warm White Chalk paints on the small squares from the kit. 
 A little more chalk paint dry brushed over.
 On the large square backing panel I used black chalk paint. Onced dry I used a 50/50 mix of Strata Paste and Structure Paste.
 I did the same to all the small squares too.
 On the left are all the ones I painted with Mustard Seed - I only used one of those in the end, for the middle.
 All the pastes dried rock hard and I painted each square (large and small) with the Yellow Iron Oxide, then Paynes Grey and Quin Gold, and finally a bit of Raw Umber.
 Did one of Andy's 'Dirty Washes' over the front of the little squares too - you can see the difference it makes below. I had also added the rub on transfers before the wash and it was fine.
 A well washed but rather battered spark plug.
 Painted with the colours above.
Then wrapped with wire to form a hanging section for the art, threaded through holes punched in the back board. Small panels glued on with Quick Grab Glue.
 Middle square, which I'd made to go at an angle, also glued down - this is where the glue comes into it's own, used on top of the uneaven pastes it holds really well.
And that's it! Thanks so much for looking.
Suz

Click here to see the full list of products on my 'quick post' on Andy Skinners blog.

Friday 3 April 2020

HOPE - for the Craft Stamper April Challenge

Hi all

Hope is something many of us need right now. It is a very difficult time and our new world and way of living is affecting so many elements of our lives. So I just want to send a little hope out to all of you. Talking of hope - there are GORGEOUS stamps and a stencil to be won this month, seriously, they are beautiful, and I HOPE you will take part! Take a look HERE.
 I used two vintage book pages, Shakespeare don't you know, (sold by the library years ago as falling apart) glued them together as they were very thin. Added a layer or watery gesso so the text would shows though.
 A little more gesso, then some light blue DecoArt paint added with a very watery brush.
 Stamped Andy Skinners 'Memories of India' stamp, firstly in a green, Shabby Shutters colour, then I stamped it some more with a clear Versamark pad and used a very pale pink embossing powder by Creative Expressions to build interest in the background.
 Then I used all the foliage stamps from Jane Gill's Woodware stamp set 'Hare in the Middle' (JGS699), inked with Olive Memento ink and then with Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder. I did this on my stamp platform as I repeatedly stamped each of the images to build the layers.
 You can just make out the pink embossing in the background in the photo below....
 My plan was to use little white flowers to fill all the gaps I'd left in the foliage. So I used an old die set by Susan's Garden called Flower Yarrow as it cuts loads at once - but you could use any small flower die or punch. I added tiny white pearls in the middles and glued down with Cosmic shimmer. I also found this pretty butterfly which I had in my stash - it was in a set from either the Range or Poundland. To make the antennae I just looked around for a slither of card I'd cut when making another project!
 The Hope stamp is another Andy Skinner stamp. I coloured it with the ink used for the foliage.  Once dry I added another little flower to the edge to tie in with the rest of the card.
And that's it for now.
Thanks so much for looking. Please do keep going.... and have hope.
Suz
xxx

See below for links to the stamps I've used:
Memories of India
Hare in the Middle
Hope