instructions for making the gift boxes

Just in time for Mother's Day.

The box is the zig zag edge Gift Box #2. If you order it direct from Stuff2Scrap you should have no trouble getting it in time for Mother's Day.
I've use an 8x8 piece of some old Cosmo Cricket paper and some 10mm ribbon to decorate the box. On the front is a crochet flower and pink mirror circle.
There are 24 eyelets on there but they are by no means essential!

The recipe for the hot chocolate sachet I popped inside I found here. I didn't quite make as much as they did - probably only enough for Jan and I to share a cup together! The perfect gift to hold the gift voucher hubby will no doubt buy his Mum for Mother's Day! I'm still working on the one for my Mum ;-)

little GIFT BOXES

It seems quite a few people have been having a look-see on the Stuff2Scrap site and are interested in my latest designs for little gift boxes. Thumbs up to the person who ordered one before the pic was even up!!

I received my proto-type sample yesterday and got stuck into it with some glimmermist and pretty ribbon (of course). Here's the finished gift box with a cute little teddy inside (who is now safely back in bed with a certain 7yo). This box with the scalloped edge is Gift Box #1. Gift Box #2 has a zig zag edge and is soooo easy to cover with paper (even for someone so impatient as me!)

The second decorated box is almost complete - I've managed to use some paper scraps and eyelets (shock) on it. Stay tuned over the weekend for some step-by-step instructions on how to put the boxes together.

New Designs

.....actually, this is just the beginning - I have a few other new designs in the pipeline which will be released soon. In the mean-time, I wanted to show off the first of my new designs.
Developed from the original idea of the Arty Tree Cards, these Arty Tree Borders are designed to go across a page and can be embellished with paper, paint, ink, embossing enamel or even a ribbon or two.

First up is Arty Tree Lane:And the second design is Arty Tree Road:

At present these can be purchased direct from manufacturers Stuff2Scrap. They can be found here. If you are at all inclined to have a sticky beak on the site you might just get an inkling as to the form of my next designs. Who'd have thought I'd be designing off the page!

the BIG pink bus!

Did anyone else see it in Bundaberg last week?

Here it is in MY street!!!!

Not everyone can say they have had a PINK double decker bus parked out the front of their house, can they? Or that their crazy kids had to chase it down the street when it left!

It was even reported in the local paper...not front page news mind you....but a little snippet nonetheless ;-)

Thanks again Lou :)

I love that Louise loves my chipboard!!!!
On this layout she has used one of the Paisley designs.

but wait there's more....

...more layouts using Nanna's Buckles. Thank you Julie and Joanne for sharing your layouts.

Layout, "Study" by Julie Takacs:
Julie has used the small buckle here as the centre of her flower.

Layout, "Zac" by Joanne Boak:
I love the way Joanne has threaded several different ribbons through the buckle.

Layout, "I always wanted" by Petrina McDonald:
Layout, "Two Sweet Hearts" by Petrina McDonald:
Layout, "Up" by Petrina McDonald:

Thank you Joanne and Shandell

Another layout by the talented Joanne Boak. Joanne has used the Twiggy Tree on this one. Thank you for sharing your work Joanne.
And one by Shandell Hawkshaw as well - using the trees from the Arty Tree Cards. They look great there on the curve Shandell.

In other news.......check out this post on my personal blog to see the most wonderful thing to come out of Stuff2Scrap this year! Congratulations Annmarie and Warren :)

Nana's Buckle tutorial and more layouts

I thought I'd share something that is a little fun to do with the engraved buckles from my "Nana's Buckles" range.

So far I have used this technique on the buckle with the spots as well as the one with the houndstooth design and I am pretty sure it would work equally well with all the others in the range.Here's how I painted the buckle on this layout. I started with the pack of #2 buckles and some Glimmer Mist, Twinkling H2Os, acrylic paint, FiberScraps e-z walnut ink, and an aqua brush. You also need a scalpel or craft knife.
First paint your buckle all over with acrylic paint. You'll notice that the paint fills in the engraved lines and you can't see the design on it any more. We don't want to leave it like that, do we?!
Next you need to dab it all over with some FiberScraps e-z walnut ink so that the engraved areas show up. You could also use any dark watercolour paint or some watered down drawing ink for this as well.Now your chipboard is getting a little softened because of all that moisture. Give it a bit more moisture with some Glimmer Mist as well. I've use the 'pearl' and just painted it on rather than spraying it (I'm running low in my fave colour!).
Now this is the fun part. Take your craft knife and poke it into an engraved line and under the top layer of chipboard. Carefully peel that layer away. Because it has been slightly softened by all the layers of paint, etc. it peels off quite easily.In no time at all you will have the top layer off half of your buckle and the rest will remain with the painted finish. You can leave it like this if you like.
Or you can take some Twinkling H2Os or some other paint or ink and paint into the raw areas. Kindy glitz, opal dust or dimensional magic would look fantastic too. It is pretty easy to "stay in the lines" and gives another dimension to your buckle.
It works really well with the dot design as well! In fact, it is even easier ;-)
There you go - something to try. If you use this technique I'd love to see what you've done. Email me at petrinamcdonald at bigpond dot com so I can share it here on this blog. Or if you have any feedback on this technique or hints to share that would be even better. I'm really enjoying receiving layouts from everyone.

Thank you Sue-ann and Shandell

Tonight I have two layouts to share from Sue-ann Tilby. The first one features the the Paisley Mother Hen. Sue-ann has used some Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder on the chipboard - in fact I think Sue-ann is the queen of distressing!!! She's beaten me to it with this layout - I haven't even printed the photos yet for the layout I want to do with the Paisley Mother Hen!
The second layout features the Paisley Little Chick. More embossing enamel on this chippy too. We both agree that embossing the chipboard is almost easier than painting it and looks just so effective. Thanks Sue-ann!Shandell Hawkshaw shares a layout here that she started at my class at the Creative Artz Cottage yesterday. She's used the large engraved buckle from the #2 Nana's buckles set - it looks fantastic with the paper/ric rac/ribbon threaded through. Thanks Shandell!


Shandell has beaten me to it with this buckle - I've almost finished a layout using it. Hopefully tomorrow I will upload a little tutorial on another way to paint these engraved buckles.

I'm still waiting to hear from Jenny Thomas so I can send out the Koi from my giveaway. If anyone knows Jenny, please ask her to contact me. If I haven't heard by the end of the week I might have to have a redraw.

Thanks Janine!

The very lovely and super-talented-photographer-chick Janine Kaye has been playing with the Koi on this layout. It is always exciting when I see the first layout someone else has created with my stuff! Thanks Janine :)

I also had a bit of a play yesterday - my layout is down in this post where all the other Koi layouts will go - when I get them! Don't forget to send me your layouts if you have used any of my chipboard products - I would love to share them on this blog. You can email me at petrinamcdonald at bigpond dot com.

and the winners are....

Time to draw the chippy giveaway! I've decided to just send out single products so I can send out more so there are 5 winners.
After consulting the random number generators (aka DD, DS, DH)......here are the winners.....


Jenny Thomas said...
I woul guess a bird, fish, whale or tortiose. Ok I cheated and googled it! Good luck woth the release.
November 11, 2008
You've got a Koi coming at you Jenny!

Kirsten N said...
I think it might be a bird or an owl :)
November 11, 2008
You've got a Koi coming at you Kirsten!


Leanne said...
Your paisley bird is gorgeous so my guess is another flying creature...maybe a butterfly/dragonfly?
Good luck with the release...I can't wait!
November 11, 2008
You've got a Mother Hen coming at you Leanne!


Shandell said...
My guess is butterflies!
November 11, 2008
You've got a set of Nana's Buckles #2 coming at you Shandell!


Sam said...
I really love the fish... gorgeous :D
I am commenting in the wrong post aren't I lol
November 14, 2008
You've got a set of Nana's Buckles #2 coming at you Sam!

So, Jenny, Kirsten, Leanne, Shandell and Sam could email me your postal addresses (petrinamcdonald at bigpond dot com) and I'll get them in the post for you this week.

New release!!!

It is with much pleasure that I share my latest releases of chipboard products. I've been working hard on these designs for a few months now and it is exciting to finally show them off.

It is also very exciting for Stuff 2 Scrap to be able to reveal their newest designer. Head over to Pumpkin Pink Designs to check out the chipboard products also being released today by the very talented Tammy Templeton. Hot on our heels will also be some new designs in the next few days by Ann Lederhose. Such a fantastic team we have here.

I'll be back later in the weekend to draw the winners of my giveaway. (And in case you were wondering, my husband can confirm, after some surgery to remove a piece of wayward weed form one fat little fishy’s gob, that goldfish DO NOT in fact have any teeth.)
Didn't get a chance to enter the giveaway? Just leave me a comment in that same post telling me which of my new designs you like the most. Heck, I am feeling generous tonight - enter again if you like!)

Mother Hen

Clucky anyone? This Mother Hen is mama to the Paisley Little Chick – she’s a clever Mother Hen isn’t she? Which came first the chicken or the egg do you think? The Mother or the Chick? An eternal question.

The Mother Hen is 9cm high.

Layout "front page " by Sue-ann Tilby:

Koi

This little paisley fish is inspired by the Japanese Koi Carp.
Ok, it was really just a goldfish living in a stone pot in our backyard – but it does sound rather exotic and cool, doesn't it? Perfect for anyone feeling like a summery dip.

Featured below are some layouts and projects showing different ways to use the Koi. If you have purchased one and would like to share your work, please send me an image so I can show it off here.

Layout "Enjoy" by Petrina McDonald:
Layout "Go Fish" by Janine Kaye:

Twiggy Tree

Inspired by some weird and wonderful plants we have in the local area (not that I have any idea if this one is a native!) the Twiggy Tree is filled with chattering birds. They rather look like they are having a good old sing along don’t they?

The Twiggy Tree is 15cm high.

(Pop back soon to see some layouts featuring the Twiggy Tree.)