Oh My Goth! It's a Screen!

I had the best fun making this screen for the Zutter Zisters Design Team last month! It had been ages since I had used these fab stamps from Stampotique and I sat happily colouring for ages.

The main structure is just grey chipboard covered with the Rockstar papers from DCWV. I then stamped on these with Darkroom Door's Rockstar stamps ... Can you see a theme building :0)
I round the chipboard off by drawing around a CD and sanding to form a smooth edge. Then you just get started with the Bind-it-all using that nippy little continuous button to punch ... it is all just so easy!

I bound the screen with some black lace and then added some shrunken skulls to complete the goth look. The skulls are in fact Lord Tim's skull and crossbones stamp ... but I detached the bones with some scissors ... humanely of course. If you want to see other designs of this screen ... check out my gallery here.
Laters!

Zutter Zister DT Member Linda Elbourne

Just Playing! (with beer mats!!)

I sometimes find that I get so busy creating for everyone else that I forget to find time just to sit and play. It has been a while since I have made a beer mat (that's a coaster for those in the States) book and the other day ... I just got the urge :0) I grabbed some beer mats ... some scrummy Graphic 45 papers ... my favourite Wendy Vecchi and Dark room door stamps and set to work. These little books are cheap to make and a great opportunity to experiment with different techniques ... try out those stamps that you haven't got around to using yet ... you know which ones they are ... the ones that have been tucked away since you bought them :0)

I started mine by covering both sides of 7 beer mats with the papers and then sanding the edges to produce a nice smooth finish. I always paint around the edge with an acrylic dabber at this point before placing the mats in the Bind-it-All. Another great thing about the beer mat book is that they are the perfect size for just one punch on the BIA ... so it just couldn't get any easier. I bind my book at this point too ... and then the playing really starts and I set about decorating the book with all manner of stamping and embellishments.

For this particular book I added lots of ribbons and Tim Holtz doodads stuck to distressed tags down the spine. I used Dark room door stamps for the main images and Wendy Vecchi stamps as accents. These were all made using grungepaper and coloured with aged mahogany and spiced marmalade distress inks.

I added glossy accents to all the words and to pick out things like the bicycle in the image ... just to add a bit more interest and dimension. I can't create anything without a bit of bling and some beads so I added those too. One of Tim's idea-ology frames looks great on any book and pair that with an adage ticket and some crackle accents and you have a really eye catching embellishment.

Have I made it sound simple?

I do hope so ... it was great fun and easy to do ... give it a go ... you know you want to :0)

Zutter Zister DT Member Linda Elbourne

Clowning Around!

There is a real challenge in creating something for another Crafter ... and we all know I LOVE a challenge! There is something special about making something for someone who looks at the detail and really appreciates the work you have put in! That is what I love about circle journals ... knowing that the time and effort I put in will be returned in the work that I receive.

If circle journals are new to you then basically you make a book ... decorate the covers ... add a few pages of your own work ... enough pages for all the contributors in your circle and then a sign-in section at the back ... you then forward the journal onto the next person in your circle and each month you get a new journal to work on ... depending on the number of people in your circle will decide when you get your original, completed book, in return.

This particular journal is a stamping Circle Journal ... so you also enclose a stamp for people to use on your pages ... How cool is that?

I decided on a clown stamp and designing my covers was a real joy with the Zutter Canvas Artboard Covers.

What I used:-
Bind-it-All; 1/2" Round-it-All; Rivet setter tool; 5" X 7" Canvas covers; 1 1/4" Antique Silver Owires; Perfect Closure; water colour paper; White tissue paper; Idea-ology tickets; Tim Holtz doodads; Claudine Hellmuth Matte multi medium; P.inc. Butternut scrapbook paint; Ranger jet black archival ink; Ancient page bordeaux ink; Ranger distress inks in spiced marmalade and mustard seed, Ranger rock candy crackle paint; Pro markers; red gems and dymo tape; Artistic Outpost send in the clowns stamp set; Tim Holtz harlequin background stamp set; Dymo tape gun.
Go on ... sign up for a circle journal ... you know you want to!

Note, with this particular style of Perfect Closure you can add customization to match the project. Here I added some Dymo labeling to the buckle.  You can also add in a tiny piece of your patterned paper or a coordinating cardstock to further coordinate with the project! No clowning!

Zutter Zister Design Team Member Linda Elbourne

Screening Christmas!

I am delighted to have been asked to post on this wonderful blog ... The regulars among you will know that I am on the 09/10 design team. This is one of my first submitted projects and I had a ball ... well a Christmas ball really ... making it!

In the latest edition of Stamper's Sampler there is a little Christmas Screen and I was completely inspired to go away ... create a larger version and instead of just folding the screen ... binding it  with my Bind-it-All!

I need to start telling you now exactly what I used coz there is a lot on it ... but basically ... chipboard; ribbons; Grunge paper; bells; 3 sets of Dark Room Door stamps; Paper Artsy Egg and Nog plate 2; Gold embossing powder; Ranger Distress inks; Promarkers; Fired Brick Stickles and my favouritist ever Chrissy paper from Cosmo Cricket ... aptly named.  Use the Bind-it-All to punch the holes and thread the panels together.  For a finished look, I finished off the corners with the Round-it-All - items to put on your holiday wish list for certain!

Be Good! ... Trust me ... I do try :0)