Christmas Shopping

     Something festive that's not a card, just what we would like to see at Altered Eclectics. It doesn't have to be festive, just not a card or an ATC, something altered or mixed media.

     This bag fits the bill for me, something bright and cheerful for my Christmas shopping.  
     The robins where stamped, using fabric ink pads, on to patterned fabric, ironed on to fabric adhesive sheet. The tummies were coloured and then they were cut out. The feet are to difficult to try and cut out so the same stamp has been put on to the bag and the cut out birds are put over the top.
     The snowflakes are die cut iron on adhesive covered with transfer foils and then ironed. The wooden buttons are coloured with fabric pens and then attached to the bag with hot glue.

     The letters, candy canes and large gingerbread man have all been die cut, it is best to iron the adhesive on to the fabric, then die cut. There is a paper backing that comes off before ironing them on to the bag.
     The small gingerbread men are stamped onto fabric and coloured with fabric pens.
     This would be a great way to personalise a canvas bag for a gift, especially now that we need to have one with us whenever we go shopping. I much prefer to have canvas bags for my shopping as they are stronger and the handles don't cut into your fingers as much as plastic used to, not to mention the environmental impact.
     The iron on adhesives are firm when washed, they will not come off. The only thing that may be effected by washing is the foil, it is delicate but for occasional wear and on something like a bag that is rarely washed it will be fine.
     You have a month in which to show us your creations, anything altered, recycled or mixed media, so if you're making Christmas gifts and decorations come on over to Altered Eclectics and show us.

I would like to enter this creation in the following challenges:

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

My Time To Craft - Anything BUT a Card
My Sheri Crafts - Christmas

Cork memo board

     This small pin board is made using an 8 inch cork pot stand and some of the new products from Stix2 Anything and Woodware Craft Collection and a few bee pins.

      To work out where I wanted my flowers I stamped everything on a piece of paper the same size as my board. Then I stamped the calico background with Old Letter and Crafter's Inks Aquamarine and Ocean Breeze.
     For the flowers I used Blueberry ink and some floral polycotton fabric with Whimsical Daisy May stamp, to get different shades I used both the right and the wrong side of the fabric. Once stamped the fabric flower was ironed on to the fabric adhesive sheet and then cut out.

 Ironing fixes the inks so it was easy to set the colour and fix the fabric all in one go. The leaves are stamped in Jungle, ironed on to adhesive sheet and then cut out.
     Having cut out all three flowers and leaf sets it was time to iron them on to the calico. I fixed the outside leaf sets first, then the outside flowers, followed by the centre leaf set and flower head.
     The flower centres are made with the delicate fabric adhesive which has a mesh like look to it. For this I cut the adhesive out and fixed it to the flower head, then covered it with transfer foil and parchment sheet and ironed. Foils have to be left to cool down before removing the excess or you may pull the whole lot off.

     The butterfly is die cut using a Sizzix die and the basic fabric adhesive, then it was foiled with a teal sheet part used so bits stayed blank, when cold it was foiled again with a full purple sheet to get the bits filled in giving it a mottled look.
     After all decoration and ironing was done I stapled it to the cork mat, attached a cord for hanging and covered the back with brown felt.
     The inks work very well on card and paper, as do the foils and of course the dies, the iron has many uses so everything is multi purpose making it better value.
   

     Materials list - available from your local craft shop
Woodware Craft Collection - FRS614 Old Letter clear stamp

                                          JGS447 Whimsical Flower Daisy May clear stamp
                                          Colour Box Crafter's Inks
                                          
Stix2 Anything - S57357 Iron On Adhesive Various Materials
                        S57356 Iron On Adhesive Delicate Materials
                        Shiny Transfer foil

                        S57360 Craft and Mixed Media Iron

I would like to enter my pin board in the following challenges:

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

Crafting With An Attitude - Anything Goes

The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes / Springtime