maandag 30 september 2013

Stencil cutting on my Silhouette


A few weeks ago I watched Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's free online stencil class and got really inspired to do some Art Journalling with stencils. But stencils are not so easy to come by in The Netherlands and even if you can get them they are pretty pricey. So I wondered if I could make my own. I had seen Lain Ehmann of Layoutaday.com use left over paper die cuts from her Silhouette for stencilling and that gave me the idea to try making some stencils myself using my Silhouette. I wanted them to be a bit longer lasting than paper though so I used some old OHP (Overhead Projector, remember those?) sheets I had lying around. And it worked a treat! 

When I posted these on Facebook Lain asked if I would write up a tutorial to put on her blog to which I gladly obliged and here it is:



A card I made using my number and music notes stencil. I love using the Tim Holtz Distress inks with the stencils to get that lovely graded effect that really matches the tone-on-tone of the 20 euro note I worked into my brother's birthday card.


maandag 2 september 2013

Do it now! A bed for Eeyore

This morning my 4 yo son insisted on bringing his stuffed Eeyore with us to school. We got him dressed and took him on the bike with us. But as much as everyone liked him he couldn't stay in school so he came back on the bike with me.


When I arrived home with Eeyore on my arm I decided to get the doll bed out of the basement. I had bought it two years ago but my little man had little interest for dolls back then. But things have changed now that he is in kindergarten. There is a lot of 'playing mommy and daddy, cooking, cleaning and now, caring going on. I LOVE it! 

So when I got the bed upstairs I got the urge to make some bedding for it. I first wanted to postpone it until 'I had time to spare' but I figured it would never happen. You see, I am a little scared of my sewing machine (I get big knots of thread so often!!!) But something inside me said: 'Do it now!' and I just got on with it. I used an old curtain in a nice colour, an old piece of changing matt (for the mattress) and some stuffing (for the pillow and duvet). 

I ironed everything, pinned only the mattress cover together and then just sewed it all together leaving a little opening to put the stuffing in. The Mattress cover has a cool opening thanks to my clever use of the original hemming on the curtain, in case Eeyore wets his bed you know:-)

So how is that for an hour of work...