Wow What a Year!

How fast time flies when your crafting!

Wow what a wonderful year we've had at MJ Crafts. I will soon be celebrating my 3rd Birthday and it's gone by so quickly.

Hobby House Products have become a favourite so far this year with my customers,  especially the pearl strings!

Sue Wilson Dies are proving ever popular, her designs work beautifully with our card making and cut with precision and ease. (Below card made using some of her dies)

I now stock lots of Anna Marie MDF blanks, below is a fantastic sample of what you can achieve with a bit of imagination, dies and embellishments. These excellent samples were created by Marj.



Here are some of the latest stamps and papers from IndigoBlu and of course I still stock a wide range of flakes and glue!

BREAKING NEWS................

We have finally managed to set a date for a demo day with John Lockwood and Julia Watts. I have hired Northgate hall which is situated at the end of the Street from the shop, so their will be plenty of room! So save the date for Saturday 10th October 2015, 10:30-4pm, Tickets cost £15 for the day and need to be booked in advance.  





Gelli Plate Printing

Gelli Plate Information

Basic Materials

·        Gelli Plate

·        Acrylic Paints

·        Brayer

Print onto:

·        Brown/Kraft paper

·        Envelopes

·        Card Luggage Tags

·        Card Stock

·        Fabric

·        Copy paper

Create Texture using:

·        Stencils

·        Bubble wrap

·        Wax paper (strips or cut into shapes)

·        Paper doilies

·        Wool or string

·        Rubber Stamps

·        The edge of scrap card

·        Plastic Canvas or Aida

·        Sequin Waste

·        Windfall leaves

·        Feathers

Create Apertures using:

·        Acetate shapes

·        Large die cut wax shapes

·        Masks

·        Card squares

Interesting Household tools

·        An old fork

·        Hair Comb

·        Toothbrush

·        Clingfilm

·        Toilet roll tubes (create circles)

Draw designs using:

·        Cotton buds

·        Rubber ended moulding tool

·        Large ball embossing tool

·        End of a paintbrush

·        Cut card with deckle scissors, drag along paint

Tips

·        To create a resist technique with rubber stamps use Versa Mark watermark ink on the stamp, and randomly stamp over the Gelli plate before adding the paint.

·        The acrylic acts as a resist so apply inks when the paint is dry to add colour to the background.

 

·        When adding layers of paint start with the darkest colour first and work towards the lightest colour.

 

·        Create your own textured plates using heavyweight card stock (300gsm) through your embossing folders.

 

·        Use foam shapes and glue to a piece of mount board to make your own textured stamp plate

 

·        Try experimenting with ink to apply colour to your plate, DO  NOT  USE  PERMINANT  INKS !!!!!   
(Try Adirondack or distress inks)

Cleaning 
You can clean your plate in between prints but I prefer to wait to the very end that way you create unusual effects by pulling off the previous colour used.

Spray the Gelli Plate with water and use kitchen roll to wipe away excess paint or alternatively use a baby wipe.

Please note fabric paints will stain the Gelli Plate, but will not damage its performance.

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Flip Photo Album

Flip Photo Album



Materials
x 1 A4 piece of mount board for the covers
x 3 Sheets of A4 decorative back
x 2 Sheets of Double sided A4 Card
1/2 metre of ribbon
Double sided tape

Tools
Hougie Score board
Scissors
Trimmer

1) Cut the mount board into 2 pieces 10.5cm x 26.5 cm

2) Cut 2 pieces of decorative paper to cover the mount board 29cm x 13cm. Adhere your double sided tape to the front of your mount board to attach your decorative paper fold over and adhere the excess paper and cut the corners into tabs to give a neat finish.

3)Cut another piece of co-ordinating paper for the spine (160gsm to 200gsm) 5 inch x 10 1/4 inch. Use the Hougie Board and score at every 1/2 inch.

4)Concertina the spine and attach as shown in the photo above left. Note: the covers are slighter longer than the spine so ensure you leave a small gap at either end to centre the pine into position.

5) Cut your ribbon on half and stick down with double sided tape as shown above (on the inside of both covers in the centre)

6) Cut 2 panels to cover the inside of the album 26cm x 10cm and adhere as shown above.

7) Cut 12 tabs for your photo's  3 1/4 x 4 inch from your double sided card. Start from the back and attach the top tab first, then the bottom and add the middle by judging the gap between the two.

 

8) Turn the page and continue adding the tabs working your to the front as shown below.

 



 

9) Just add photos and enjoy.....



 

Thanks for looking......

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House Mouse

Chin Up

 

Materials
Stampendous House Mouse chin up cling stamp HMCP03
Merry Christmas stamp (Deck the Halls-JustRite Cling)CL-02150
Surfacez Black Ink Pad
Black Card
Hunkydory Ink me card
Splodgeaway Holly the Lot Stencil
Mowed Lawn Distress Ink
Pine Needles Distress Ink
Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Festive Berries Distress Ink
Tattered rose Distress Ink 
Xcut Scalloped Oval Die Cut
Xcut corner rounder
White Opal Liquid Pearls
Quickie glue Pen
Distress Stickles dry glitter (clear rock candy)
Paint Brush
Ink Blending Mat
White Scalloped 8x8 card

1) Stamp the image using Surfacez ink on to a piece of ink me card (die cut oval)

2)Rub some of the Distress inks on to an ink blending mat and spritz with water to use as watercolours to colour the image with a paintbrush.

 

3)Cut a square piece of Ink me card and distress the whole background with Mowed lawn, lay the Holly Stencil in place and use the same blending tool and pick up the Pine needle colour to fill in the holly.

4)Stamp Merry Christmas as shown on the photo above. Use a paintbrush and a little water to festive berries distress ink on a blending mat to colour the Holly berries.

4)Cut, mat and layer the card as illustrated in the first image, round the corners of the mats if desired. Use the quickie pen to add glitter as desired and finish off by dotting Liquid pearls around the black scalloped oval.

Enjoy............



ESSENTIALS GUIDE TO INK PADS

Which ink pads should I use?

 

 

Many new crafters wonder what ink pad to use. Will you be colouring your stamped image, and what with? Here's a basic guide to help you on your crafting journey.

 

 

Memento- Dye Based. This is my personal favourite for using with my promarkers...the ink dries quickly and doesn't bleed, it is available in a range of colours. It can however bleed if using watercolours or wet mediums.
 

 
Distress Inks- Dye Based, acid free, and fade resistant. These inks are great for adding colour to a project using a foam applicator. You can also wipe the pad onto a ink blending mat, spritz with water and use a paintbrush to use like water colours.

 

Ranger Archival Ink Pads are acid free, non-toxic, permanent on mat and gloss papers and waterproof. Great for using with watercolours acrylics and with water based inks. 

 

 

 

StazOn is a solvent based ink pad, it is good for using all smooth surfaces like shrink plastic, ceramic tiles and acetate. A personal draw back for me is that I found this ink took a good while to dry enough for me to be able to touch it!!! Not suitable to use with alcohol pens.

 

 

Surfacez (Colorbox)- Solvent based, this is a multi surface ink and it is available in a range of colours. It is great for fine detailed stamps,  is waterproof so ideal for your watercolours and great on smooth surfaces. I've used this ink to stamp on Mirror card, ceramic and acetate and it dries really quickly only a couple of minutes.  Not suitable to use with alcohol pens.

 

 

Versacolour-is a pigment inkpad, the ink is slow drying so ideal for using with your embossing powders. Available in small and large pads in a wide range of colours.

Versacraft- is suitable for a wide range of surface including fabric wood and card. Heat set on fabric to make it permanent, the ink is archival and acid free. Available in small and large in a wide range of colours.

 

Versamark watermark stamp pad, acid free, archival, water based, and non-toxic. This pad has multiple uses, it is clear and sticky so you can use it for embossing powders, perfect pearls and mica powders. You can also use it to create a resist effect. 

 

 

Hope this helps......thanks for looking

 

 

 



Woodware Owl Christmas Stamp

Christmas Hoot.....

 

 

 

Materials

Woodware clear magic Christmas Hoot stamp

6 x 6 white scalloped square card

Xcut Scalloped circle die

Xcut Scalloped oval die

Black Memento ink pad

Green archival Ink Pad

Merry Christmas Stamp (Just Rite)

Co-ordinating ribbon 

Alcohol Markers

Red and Green Bazzil Basic card

White card stock

Xcut corner rounder

Glitter (optional)

Mowed lawn Distress Ink

Foam Pads

 

Techniques

For this card I have used paper piecing....Cut a scalloped circle (white) and stamp the owl image using the black ink and colour the body, beak and feet of the owl using markers.

 

Stamp onto a piece of green, red and white card. Cut out the scarf and holly from the green card, lay on top of the original image and glue in place.

 

Cut out the hat and the pieces of scarf that you would like to be red and adhere in place. Repeat the techniques to complete the stockings. Cut out the white pieces for the hat and add glitter.

 

Score your card blank at 3 inches to make into an easel card. Add a little bit of distress ink around the edge of the scalloped circle. Cut your green and red card pieces ready to mat and layer(round the corners if desired) Make sure to only apply adhesive on the bottom section of the top mat.

 

Adhere the ribbon to the mat before sticking the mat into place. Cut out a small scalloped oval and stamp your message, distress around the edge, add foam pads to the back and adhere in place (this will act as your stopper)

 

Variations

You could also make this card without using paper piecing just colour your image using your favourite medium. You don't have to necessarily use a easel style card just go for a normal 6 x 6 or maybe try a stepper card!!!

 

Thanks for looking x

 





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MJ Crafts Classes 2013

 

MJ Craft Club

Every Friday, 1pm until 2:30pm, £4

This class includes product demonstrations, the opportunity to meet other crafters and you will have the full use of machines, dies and tools. BOOKING ESSENTIAL.

 

Monday 30th September, 2013, 10:30 am until 12 mid-day, £10

Card making featuring Splodgeaway stencils and distress inks, makes at least 2 cards.

 

Wednesday 2nd October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Mini Scrapbook album suitable to store photographs/memento's

 

Monday 7th October. 2013, 10:30am until 12 mid-day, £10

 Heat embossing techniques using WoW embossing powders. Male themed tags for card, scrapbooking or your altered art project.

 

Wednesday 9th October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Card making featuring Chloe Stamps and Parchment Paper. Makes 2 cards.

 

Monday 14th October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Use the Create an Owl Stencils to make at least to cards.

 

Wednesday 16th October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Create a decorative piece using a MDF blank and Graphic 45 papers and embellishments.

 

Monday 21st October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Create prints and backgrounds for your cards featuring the GELLI PLATE.

 

Wednesday 23rd October, 2013, 10:30am  until 12 mid-day, £10

Create a felt decoration using basic sewing skills. This class is suitable for beginners.

 

Contact Melanie on 01452 415440 to book.......