Window Shadowbox in a Sewing Theme for Gina's Designs

Hello Crafty Friends!  Today I am sharing a customized version of the Window Shadowbox by Gina's Designs.   This was an original piece that I'd had in my stash for quite some time, just waiting for that right moment of inspiration to come along.  In this version of the shadowbox, there is a dividing shelf across the center creating two areas to decorate.  You can request to have your shadowbox divided in the center as in this piece, or you can purchase it the way it is currently shown in the store, with no center shelf, to create a large window view of anywhere your imagination takes you.  

I kept the chipboard technique simple on this piece because lots was already going on inside the box.  I covered all of my chipboard with a light coat of gesso using a dry brush, script stamped with perfect medium, then colored with perfect pearls.  Simple but effective, this technique worked perfectly to compliment this piece.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Window Shadowbox *customized version

Dressforms 2 Miniatures Shape Set

Dressforms 1 Miniature Shapes Set

Vintage Seamstress Shapes Set

Parchment flowers (upper left) from Craftsupplies1 on Etsy or Zibbet

Steampunk Canvas for Gina's Designs

Today I'm sharing an altered inverted 8 x 10 canvas that I created in a fun Steampunk style.  The adorable image and the papers behind it were digital freebies from Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  I thought that the Steampunk chipboard shapes from Gina's Designs really complimented this image.  I used the techniques described below on the chipboard shapes.

The butterfly, the hot air balloon, and the gears corner at bottom right were first given a light coat of gesso.  I always use a light touch with the gesso, usually just a dry brushing with a fan brush,  because I like the natural shading it provides when some of the natural chip color is coming through.  I then used a variety of different colored gelatos on the butterfly.  I blended the colors with a touch of water then let it dry.  To get the distressed and grungy look I was after, I sanded it back so some gesso showed through.  I followed that with a touch of Prima chalk ink in a burnt orange color.  By that point you couldn't even tell that I'd ever used the gelatos, but that's OK because with each layer of color you add, you'll get more depth and dimension as an end result.  I added a bit of stickles here and there, some bead connectors and I coiled some copper wire for antennae.  

On the balloon, I stamped a script stamp with perfect medium, then added shades of perfect pearls.  It has a beautiful sheen to it that doesn't show in the photos.  For the balloon overlay I embossed with copper embossing powder, sanded some of it off, then touched it up with Prima Chalk Ink in burnt orange.  

For the gears, I simply ran it through my Big Shot in a dry embossing folder, then rubbed it with different shades of Gilder's Paste.

For the chipboard Word Ribbon Title of "Explore", I rubbed the raw chipboard with Prima Chalk Ink in the burnt orange shade, added a touch of Tim Holtz tarnished brass Distress Paint then rubbed gesso over the letters.

To add texture to the image itself, I used a grungy edge stamp with shabby white embossing powder to make it look like ocean foam, and then I added some amber frosted flat back pearls.

To create the texture on the frame of the inverted canvas, I began by using matte Mod Podge to apply torn papers in colors to match the project all around the frame covering the staples.  I then dry brushed gesso over the paper using a light touch.  I followed with some Art Anthology dimensional sorbet paint applied through a stencil all over the frame.  I trimmed in some of the blank spaces with Tim Holtz distress paint in tarnished brass to highlight.  I added gel medium and applied glass beads and some little stones (lower left corner)

I made the grungy flower at left with the spikey shapes of the Tim Holtz Tattered floral die (I cut two), and in the center I used a Sizzix daisy die (I cut two), and punched out sun shapes for the center (I punched out three), then I added some glass beads.  The flower at right is just a simple rolled rose by Die-namics.

Thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Butterfly of Gears

Hot Air Balloon Stack Up

Word Ribbons 3

Gears Borders and Corners Shape Set

Other:
Image by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Butterfly by Renea Bouquets

Shabby Book Box - Creative Team Project for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Today I'm sharing a super shabby altered book box.  I have created some fun inside the box with the intent that it be displayed upright on my nightstand.  I just love how it came out, and I can't stop looking at the inside.  All of the papers as well as the tags and images inside the box, are part of the printable digital paper kit called Paris in My Heart by Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  Additionally, I have added some lace, doilies, flowers and other embellishments.  Inside I have created a flower from the digital papers and using the Tim Holtz Tattered Flower die.  This is my third project created with this collection.  I love that I can print what I want over and over again.  It is so gorgeous, perfect for any lover of shabby roses.  Thanks so much for looking!

Products Used:

Digital Design Paper by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Paris in My Heart Collection

Check out Debbie's other gorgeous paper collections, and sign up for amazing weekly freebies HERE!

Other:

Chipboard corner piece on cover by Gina's Designs

Flowers by Petaloo

Prima Resins

Doilies and parchment flower cluster inside cover by Craftsupplies1

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Lila's Wish - A Layout featuring Gina's Designs and Craftsupplies1

Today I'm sharing a layout featuring my cat Delilah for the October cross promotional project with Gina's Designs and Craftsupplies1.  The beautiful parchment flower and leaf clusters from Craftsupplies1, combined perfectly with the chipboard bird cages and flourishes from Gina's Designs.  I painted my chipboard with a light coat of gesso, then colored the pieces with gelatos and a touch of Prima chalk inks.  The crocheted doily underneath the flower cluster at the bottom left is also from craftsupplies1 and came in a package of assorted doilies in different sizes.  The design papers and the doily behind the photo are from the Scraps of Darkness kit club.  

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Scribbled Frames and Lines

Hanging Cages

Feathery Flourishes Set

Fern Fronds

Craftsupplies1

Zibbet

Etsy

Other:

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Scraps of Darkness Kit Club

Wooden bird by Pork Shop Show

Paper by Fabscraps - Paint Chic Collection

Sizzix Die (Wish)

Hanging Charm by Prima Vintage Trinkets

Nature Inspired Memo Board for Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone!  Today I am sharing a nature inspired Memo Board, one of my favorite pieces from the Home Decor section of our store.   I wanted my memo board to be both beautiful and functional.  I have left the center of the piece free of any dimensional embellishments, and a lined notepad from the dollar section of Michaels fits perfectly in the space and would be held in place by the addition of a metal clip as shown in the close up below.

With the simple addition of the Tim Holtz Clipboard Clip I was able to achieve a fully functional memo board to hold interchangeable and inexpensive basic memo pads.  I painted the clip to blend in with the rest of the design as shown in the closeup below.  I attached the clip with E6000 and also with brads in the holes.  I simply punched holes with my cropodile, added the glue to the back of the clip, then secured the clip with the brads.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Memo Board

Feathery Flourishes Set

Pine Tree Shapes Set

Other:

Tim Holtz Ideology Clipboard Clip

Tim Holtz rub-ons

Sizzix Botanical Leaves (Die with Embossing Folder Set)

BoBunny Enchanted Garden Paper (from the Scraps of Darkness kit club)

Prima Nest and Flowers

Dragonflies by Renea Bouquets

Gesso

Prima Chalk Inks

Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Tarnished Brass

Shabby Chic Memory Tray for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Hi Crafty Friends!  Today I am sharing a creative team project for Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  This Memory Tray features the digital paper kit called Paris in my Heart.  This is such a perfect gift for a lover of shabby chic Paris style, or I could just keep it all to myself.  What I love about digital paper kits is that I can always just print more paper and make another one.  This is the second project that I've created featuring this paper kit, and I hope you'll come back to see yet another that I plan to create later this month..

I have done some fussy cutting of some of the images in the paper and raised them up onto pop dots to create some extra dimension.  This tray did not take me long at all to decorate. The hardest part was in deciding which gorgeous paper to put in which square :)

I began by painting the tray with white gesso, then I used Tim Holtz tissue tape around the frame, and added some distress ink.  

Products:

Digital Design paper by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Paris in my Heart printable kit

Wooden memory Tray by Recollections

Doilies and chipboard shapes (including the Eiffel tower) are from Gina's Designs

Tim Holtz tissue tape

Flowers by Prima and Petaloo

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Check out Debbie's other gorgeous papers, and sign up for amazing weekly freebies HERE!

Spooky Banner - GDT for Kitty's Scrap Post and $$$$ COUPON $$$$$

Hi Friends!  Here I am again with even more Halloween fun!  I created this very Gothic and a little bit creepy banner with a printable digital paper kit from Kitty's Scrap Post.  This kit is called Nevermore and is one of several paper kits that Luisa has designed in a Halloween Theme.  This is my second project using this paper kit, and I just love the images.  I might have to make some Halloween cards next :)

 If you haven't tried digital paper kits yet, or you want to add to an existing digital paper stash, then please visit the shop and remember to use this discount coupon for 15% off of your entire purchase.  ****Enter code NancyGDT15 to receive your discount!*****

Products used:

Digital Paper Kit by Kitty's Scrap Post

Nevermore Full Kit

Nevermore  Bottlecap and Domino Art Collage Sheet

Decorative Cardstock Doilies by Gina's Designs