HAUTE COUTURE FRAME

I wanted to do something different and try a project which was more like what l would like to expand upon. There is a collection of materials used that l have added to my crafting goodies box over a period of time. So what l will do is give you a list of what l used so that maybe you can make a tick sheet of items you would like to add yourself.

I am revisiting a lot of my older stamps and dies which is good and shows the longevity of the crafting items that are available to us if we go to a retailer that we can trust. I have had this kind of service from THATS CRAFTY ON LINE where Laura has always responded with answers to my questions.

Now then there is a FREEBIE with this project. I designed a Union Flag Styled Grunged Paper. The set contains a Coloured - Black and White - Several Hue Shades as well as some Gradients.

 Just click on this Phrase.....

 TO BE DIRECTED TO THE FOLDER WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PAPERS.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE......

Don't sell them as your own designs be that in a Pack, Selection of Papers, Single Paper or as a file in any way shape or form. You can sell your projects using the design and there is no limit on how many you sell as long as its part of a Crafting Project.

MATERIALS USED:
I used a downloaded Paper 7" x 5" Paper frame and Swirls which were cut out using my Silhouette Machine.
Spellbinders Dies - Gears - Butterfly's - Bees and Dragon Fly's - Corners from a Filigree Die Set - Rolled Up Flowers Die
Tim Holtz Dress Form Die plus Die Cutting Machine.
2 sheets White 12"x12" Paper for the frame. A4 Sheet Bronze Mirror Card
Good Strong Clear Glue
A5 White Stamping Paper
Archival Ink - Jet Black
Selection of Watch Parts [search around you can buy them by the weight]
Metal Butterfly used as a corset. [Another idea is use the Metal Hangers and a Dress embellished and cut out instead of the Dress Form]
Clear Embossing Powder - Metallic Embossing Powders - WOW Verdigris Powder - Stampendous Embossing Enamel Shabby Green - Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powders.
Ranger Emboss It Dabber - Perfect Medium Pens Clear.
Craft Mat - Cutting Mat
PaperArtsy Stamp Set - Hot Pick 1205
Sharp Tipped Scissors - Metal Edged Ruler - Tweezers - Selection of Water Brushes - Craft Knife - Heat Gun
Selection of Acrylic Paints to give your frame a Grungy Aged Look.

LETS MAKE A CRAFT PROJECT!!!!
Before i set about writing the 'How 2 Make' i have to firstly say 2 things. I understand that not everyone has an electronic die cutting machine and they may not have access to spellbinders Dies etc.  That's why when i make a project i will always if i can give you an alternative method so that you can join in and make your own version of a project. The materials will remain the same and i will always give you a link so that your able to buy items that i have used.

Now then the frame you might not have a machine so on your next trip to a car boot or the charity shop keep your eyes open for a frame that has a bit of depth to it. Then when your home all you have to do is sand it down and if you have joined in with my other projects l sing the praises of the wonders of GESSO. It will give you a key to paint onto. So that's a must have in your crafting cupboard!

Lets have a look at this project and as i like to do break it down into small sections so that we are not hanging around waiting for an item to dry when with a little bit of time management we can work on another part of this project.

1. THE FRAME. - That's construction and or sanding down and then painting them both to look like aged material. Try on some scraps of paper your not after a master piece and fellow crafters are not going to say Oh its not this or that. The highlights are the embellishments this is just a base.

2. EMBELISHMENT BUILDING - This is where we cut out the paper elements and start to embellish by using various embossing powders. We also have to stamp out the Flower from the Stamp set as this is what's going to be the Head Dress for our Dress Form. Speaking of which, you may not have the Dress Form Cutting die. So you now have 2 options. You can search the internet and look for a copyright free Image of a dress form, print it out and then mount it onto card cut it out. Or you can use the option that l mentioned in the materials section. So PLEASE DON'T feel that you cant join in as like l have mentioned there are always ways round a problem..

3. CONSTRUCTION. - Building up our frame with everything that we have made.

Right.... We have our frame in front of us its ready for the blast of colour to make it individual. By using several Acrylic colours and some water we can blend colours into each other. Just dab 'blobs' of colour around the frame and then with the aid of a wet but not saturated brush start to manipulate the colour and blend it in. There are lots of short how to do paint treatments on y-Tube so if your not sure spend a few moments on there and just take notes or even watch . pause.. try.. and watch again till your frame has been completed. We have to use a heat gun if the frame is paper. This is to stop the paper from becoming water logged and then distorting out of shape.

Embellishments are next, like i have mentioned if your not in possession of the dies that i have used and your not in a position to 'borrow or use to cut out' then there are ways round things. The internet is a wonderful thing if you use it as we all crafters know how to use it. We can search of thousands of copyright free imagery that's available to us. All we have to do is search. Another point of access we can look at is all those cds that we may have bought print out glue onto card and then cut out. Try to remember to keep it to a silhouette form so that your not having to cut out fiddly things.

Once we have cut and then backed its time to build up colour. Use those embossing powders, you can build up colours as if you were using inks. Take your time and by drawing onto your surface with one of those Perfect Mediums Pens and then covering with embossing powder.. Heat gun it and then start again. PLEASE REMEMBER the heat gun gives out heat so PLEASE PLEASE use tweezers to keep your embossing pieces secured when embossing them.

I mentioned in an earlier project a way we can make rolled up flowers by cutting out a circle and then cutting into the centre by cutting in a circular motion so there is one long piece. Then all we have to do is take the outer edge and start to roll up into a flower shape keeping the base of the flower level with a finger not worrying about the top edge being uneven.

Like we did with the winged items we are now going to search for some flourishes  If we don't have any in our cd collection then once again have a look at the internet for a copyright free flourish.

By the time you have finished you should have your Dress Form, Butterflies, Dragon Fly's and Gears all Embossed and ready to be secured onto our frame.

If your looking to do more Altered Art pieces then l can recommend that you look for retailers who sell old watch workings by the weight. There are sites on the internet that will sell you these items or if you want to do your own there are car boot sales. But please buy old not working items. Don't destroy something that someone can use in everyday situations.

So what else have we got to do lets do a check list.. All the winged items have been embossed. The Dress form has been embossed and small watch workings secured into embossing powder. The flower has been embossed and secured into place behind the dress form and the metal butterfly has again been secured into the embossing powder. The backing paper has been printed to size, and our watch parts are ready to be secured into place. and we have our flourishes and corned embellishments.

Take a look at how i have built up the frame and while not following what i have done maybe take a hint from how i constructed it. There is no right or wrong way of doing something like this. Its all down to your interpretation of what you see. I have a library of photographs that l have taken from artist that l think are the bee's knee's when it comes to Altered Art. I don't aim to copy them as l would only be a watered down version of who they are. But there is nothing wrong in taking a tip.. hint..placement of an item that they did and put your own twist on things. That's why i will never say 'YOU HAVE TO PLACE THIS HERE OR THERE'
So spend a few moment looking at what i have presented to you and maybe make a drawing of how you see this project working for you.

Please send me photographs of projects that you have done after looking at what i have offered up for this D.T Offering. Like all members of the Team at That's Crafty we would love to see what we have indeed inspired you to create. I am hoping to open up a gallery of projects constructed after seeing what l have offered up. If you do send me a photo can you also give me permission to use it on my blog, as l cant show work that has not been given permission.
Okay i hope this will inspire you to dig out an old frame and make something that can them be put out on display and admired by family and friends.

Any questions please send me a message and i will get back to you a.s.a.p.