Arty-Forty

Monday 27 May 2013

Secret Garden #5

Welcome to my final Secret Garden post (at least for now as I think I have run out of Secret Garden papers!!)
As promised, here is a look inside the altered Urban Lily Secret keeper book that was lurking inside my altered box.

 
 
 
The next picture shows how the page above to the right pulls out to reveal a secret page which can be used for journalling or photos...
 
 
 
 

 
 
And finally the back of the book...
I hope you have enjoyed looking at my Secret Garden work. If I can manage to do it I will record a You Tube video showing all of the projects.

Hopefully I will soon be able to show you my Graphic 45 vintage television i-pad stand - all of the woodwork part is done - just decoration to go! Tune in again soon!
Thanks for looking!

Jane
x

Saturday 25 May 2013

Secret Garden #4

We are coming to the end of the Secret Garden projects. You may be interested to know that all of the projects were made with about 6 large sheets of the Secret Garden papers and an 8"x 8" Secret Garden paper pad.

Today's project is an altered box. I used the purple papers and embellishments to create this project. The box I used was already a dark green so it worked well with the papers without me needing to paint it.

On the top of the box I cut out lots of flowers and punched some ash leaves and then covered them with crackle glaze to give it an aged feel.

 
 
 
 
I covered the inside too...
 
 
The box is the perfect size to hold my final project - an altered Urban Lily secret keeper book...
 
 
Thanks for looking...come back again soon for a look inside that book!
 
Jane
x

Friday 24 May 2013

Secret Garden #3

So, these are probably my favourite of my Secret Garden projects - I spent a very lazy day last week in front of the TV cutting out flowers etc and putting these together. The lace is actually sticky back lace from Paperchase - it's fab! So easy to use.
Here they are...
 
 
 
 
 
And finally, a set of three shaped cards...
 
Thanks for looking - next - a Secret Garden altered box...
 
Jane x

Thursday 23 May 2013

Secret Garden #2

Ok - so here is my next project with the Secret Garden papers from Graphic 45. Of course, The Secret Garden is a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett and the papers have quotes from the book. So, I decided I had to create a book which contained a secret garden. The library at school were throwing away a load of old hardback books (they cull the old and least borrowed books every now and then) rather than see them end up in a skip, I rescued them and this one was the perfect shade of blue to turn into my secret garden.
Here's the outside...
Layered and tattered papers and handcut flowers make for an interesting cover. The spine and back are the blue paper which has 'Secret Garden' written all over it.
As you open up the book you see little pieces of green string which pull up the two stand up cards and hold garlands of flowers...
 
Looking down into the book you can see the recess I cut in the pages and how it is now filled with a selection of bought, hand cut, die cut, punched and home made flowers...

Here's a close up of the flower detail...
 
Thanks for looking, more Secret Garden projects to follow.
 
Jane
x

Sunday 19 May 2013

Secret Garden #1

So I've been getting over not getting through to the Graphic 45 design team by... crafting with Graphic 45 papers - the Secret Garden papers to be exact, so I have a few things to show you over the next few blog posts.
I'll start simple by showing my Layouts. Actually they are my least favourite of all of the projects I have done so I'll start with them.
I loved the title paper and in particular the white picket fence, so I decided to recreate the fence using white Bazzill for this first layout. I had bought two packets of perfectly coloured Primas while I was at the retreat so I used them to embellish along with some other flowers and the ash leaf punch...
The picture is actually me...but a LONG time ago - I think I was seventeen when this was taken.

In the next layout, the picture is of an acorn nestled in some oak leaves which I took looking up into an oak tree when we visited Quorn. I used the Tim Holtz tattered leaves die and the birdcage die...
I love the background paper from the Secret Garden collection with the bluebirds and the cages - but I worry that it is too busy for the layout.
I cut the letters using the Tim Holtz alphabet die i have and then edged them with 'forest moss' distress ink and covered them with crackle glaze.

I have a pop up altered book, a secret keeper mini book in an altered box and a whole load of cards to share too - so please come back again!

In the meantime, check out the new releases on the Graphic 45 blog - I especially love the Steampunk Spells - I have lots of plans for that!

Jane
x