Freezer paper stencilled tote bags

Hello! Today I tried making freezer paper stencils for the first time and, omg, how have I lived this long without them?! Freezer paper is amazing! I brought a huge roll and so now I'm excited for more stencil projects ^_^ 

I made these tote bags for Laura and Carina, who are doing the Graduate Program at my work. They are both very cool, and I don't think either of them read my blog so hopefully they won't see these before I give them to them on Monday. They both say "totes" a lot (i.e. "they are totes profesh") so I thought this design was appropriate ...

Here's an awesome thing I love about freezer paper: I cut out one design and got two stencils! Wicked!

For the green design I ironed down the letters that I cut out from the freezer paper and then just painted over everything in a planned but trying to look haphazard kinda way ~_^

 

And for the pink design I used the outline of the letters that were left over. To make this look a little different I left out the inside parts of the "o" and the "e" and also cut out some retro looking stars. The font I used was Fabulous 50's and although it's the same basic design for both bags, I like that they both turned out quite different ^_^

Yay! I think I need to make one for me now too! ^_^

Do you like them? What would you make a stencil of?

- Lisa x

Wit beyond measure art canvas triptych

Hello! How have you been? I've been busy working on a Steampunk Librarian costume for Oz Comic Con (can't wait!) and getting things organised because next month I'm going back to uni! Yay! I am super excited ^_^

I made this quote triptych using just a couple of supplies - you might even be able to make this just with the things in your stash!

Here's how I did it:

1. I spray painted the three canvases with gold, silver, and bronze in a random pattern.

2. When the canvases were dry, I used painter's tape to mask off the areas I wanted to retain the metallic mixture look (you can see what I mean if you look at the diamond  - it's not a solid colour inside).

3. Then I went over the canvases again with a solid layer of metallic spray paint - gold for the two with straight lines of tape and silver for the diamond shape.

4. After leaving the paint to dry overnight, I peeled off the tape and then outlined the shapes with a small paintbrush and acrylic paint.

5. Using a Sharpie, I added the quote on the gold canvases. You could also do this with the acrylic paint but my brush handling skills are not that great! ~_^

I like how this kinda looks like washi tape! ^_^

 

The quote on this set is from Harry Potter, and I'm really happy with how it turned out, but now I'm thinking of other quotes that could be turned into more canvas art! ~_^

 

Do you have a favourite quote that you would use, if you made a set like this?

Would you use metallic colours as well, or another combination?

I'd love to hear your ideas! ^_^

- Lisa x

My Love is True embroidery hoop

Hey! Happy Valentine's Day! ^_^

I was going to post this a bit earlier, but life got in the way (*shakes fist* "llliiiiffffeee!") but I think the timing has all worked our rather well anyway.

I stitched up this pattern from Sublime Stitching as another hoop to go on our hoop wall (which I really do have to show you soon) and I think it turned out really well! 

It's dedicated to my wonderful husband, Scott, who is amazing good at appreciating all the random handmade presents that he recieves and also at putting up with questions like "do you think this pink is more fushia or hot?" and "will you try on this winter hat I'm making even though it's the middle of summer?" and "can we go op-shopping today? again?" ~_^ He's the best! ^_^

Anyway, going back to the craft ... I used primarily backstich for this pattern, except for the outline of the heart which is split stitch and also a couple of lazy daises. The hot pink heart outline and the emerald green parts that kinda look like scars are done in DMC satin embroidery thread which is a lovely silky thread which is unfortunatly also a massive pain to knot! If you use it, here's a little tip: a bit of 'fray stop' on the starting and finishing knots will keep everything secure and also won't damage the good side of the embroidery.

Here's one of my lazy daises! After running stitch, I'm pretty sure lazy daisies were the next thing I learnt to embroider as a little girl. I still can't do french knots properly though, so I did little crosses in the middle of the flowers ^_^

Anyway, I hope you like it and that you have a lovely Valentine's Day! ^_^

- Lisa x

Clay heart brooches plus some vintage finds

Hey! How have you been? I've been working on some Valentine's themed projects ^_^ I know it's cheesy and over-commercialised, but I love Valentine's Day! ^_^

I'm embroidering a pattern by Sublime Stitching, which I should have done to show you in my next post, but I've also made these super easy heart brooches ...

I think they are really cute!

All I did to make them was roll out some Fimo, cut out the hearts with an old biscuit cutter, and then embossed some words using my tiny alphabet stamps.

Then I just attached some badge backings with E6000.

This red one is my favourite! ^_^

The good thing about these is that you can wear them all together for a big impact, or just wear one for a more subtle look ^_^

Next up: op-shop finds! Scott and I went searching to today for waistcoats and bow-ties, and come home instead with dishes and a typewriter. Opps! We're just going to have to do more searching for vintage men's wear ... what a pity! ~_^

The dish above I think might be milk glass? I am not entirely sure if there is a special way to tell, apart from it being white and glass >_<

Anyway, I really like it; I think the pattern is pretty cool too!

My new typewriter (and my favourite find of today!) is a cream/ beige Olivetti Dora - it's very pretty and it even came with ribbons! Score! ^_^

Lastly, I got these two cute little dishes; the one with violets is from England, and the other is decorated with little shamrocks and is a piece of souvenir wear from (you guessed it) Ireland.

Do you have plans for Valentine's Day? Any suggestions for presents I should make (or buy!) for my nerdy, Star Wars obsessed husband? Let me know! ^_^

- Lisa x

Instagram magnets

Hello! Today I have a project plus a little tutorial for you - but this is such an easy craft that you would be able to work it out for yourself I think! ^_^

I printed out some of my Instagram photos today to make into magnets, which is very simple to do. The two A4 magnetic sheets from Riot have a sticky side, so all I had to do was peel off the protective paper, stick down my photos, and then cut them out.

Then I used some stamps to decorate them! Going clockwise from the top left, I used some tiny alphabet stamps, a Amy Tangerine roller date stamp (it's very small but it says "enjoy today"), one of the stamps from the "Vintage Office" stamp set (by Cavallini Papers & Co), and the Happy Birthday stamp from the "Owl you need is love" stamp set (from Typo).

I also inked the edges and covered the entire photo with a layer of mod-podge. 

Then, I pulled out my old Wacom tablet and experimented with adding handwriting to some of my other photos in Adobe Illustrator. I made them into magnets using them same process as above.

And so what am I going to do with so many magnets? 

I'm making cards! All you have to do is cut a couple of slits in a blank card with a scalpel and slip your new photo magnet in. Yay! One of my goals this year is to send out more snail mail, and this way my corespondents have a special present to keep as well ^_^

What do you think? Do you like them? I sure hope you do!

- Lisa x