MHK Designs - Thank You Mynn Blog Hop

     It's the first of the month which would usually mean it's time for a new challenge at MHK Designs, also time for a new set release. But sadly, Mynn, the very talented owner of MHK Designs and card genius, has made the very tough decision to close the blog (the Etsy shop will remain open for the time being at least, but nothing new will be added to it) to focus on what's important to her, her life as a teacher.
     The news came as a shock to myself and the other DT members, but it's a decision we totally support. As most of us had our cards ready for today we have decided to make it a blog hop to say thank you to Mynn for all she has done for us.
     The hop order is further down this post, but first I'd like to say my own Thank You to Mynn for sharing her talent with me and encouraging me to explore the world of digital images. There are some great videos on YouTube showing how to get even more from your images, something I would not have thought of when I joined the team back in 2015.

Judy

Rocky -You are here

Shawna

Jess

Julie

Dawn

Janie

Em

Asha  

Mynn  (not posting, but please leave her a comment)

Acrylic Pour Coaster

     For this months Altered Eclectics project I tried my hand at Acrylic Pouring. I have seen so many gorgeous images produced with this messy but inspiring method that I just had to try it.

     The acrylic paint I used was an inexpensive brand because I wanted to see what it would be like to try this.. I watched lots and lots of tutorials on You Tube to get an idea of what I needed and how to do it.
     While my first attempt isn't amazing I can honestly say it was so much fun that there will be more to come, you never know just how it will turn out.
     This project had three colours, all mixed with the required ingredients (I won't list them as there are so many different methods). They were added to the cup (actually a shot glass because the coasters are small), the coaster was placed over the cup and then they were both flipped over and stood in a tray before removing the cup and letting the paint flow.
     This is such a messy technique, but totally mesmerising to watch as the paint moved around, no two pours are ever the same. Did I waste all that spilt paint?...heck no, I poured all that over some thick card to be die cut at a later date.

     So now I had two coasters and two mini canvases to play with, some had better cell division than others. The one I chose to decorate first reminded me of flames, so that's why I chose a dragon to go on it.
     Using Versamark and some lovely greeny black embossing powder I stamped and embossed my dragon flying over the flames, then I added a few trees to give some balance to the panel.
     It will need several coats of strong varnish before I could put a cup on it but all in all I'm quite happy with the result so far. More pours to come I think, the only trouble with watching so many great tutorials is I keep seeing stunning work and wondering if mine will ever turn out like that. The only way to go is to try and have messy fun doing so.
     Please come and join us at Altered Eclectics with your projects, you can enter anything BUT a card or ATC.

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

Use Your Stuff - No Challenge, just a showcase
Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes   (W)
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes   (F)

The Male Room Goes Globe-al

     This fortnigthts challenge at The Male Room is to make something other than a card. On a recent trip out with Mum we found these empty domes, I love to see them at Christmas but always think it's a shame they're not used the rest of the year. There was my challenge, to make a summer globe. The clear dome is plastic so that makes it much easier to work with and more user friendly when it comes to young people.

      There is a small hole in the bottom which is just about big enough for a battery tea light, I did have to file away a little more to get mine to fit properly.
     There is also a wooden disc inside to put your display on but I chose to use a thick card disc instead. To get rugged texture on the ground I used some hot glue and squished it about a bit, stuck my tree on and then painted it all with a mix of green and brown. I sprinkled some modelling greenery on top of the wet paint for added effect.

      The cabin in my wood is a die cut house with an added corrugated iron roof and stove pipe chimney. These I painted with some Rusty Patina and added a few bits of greenery for moss. The chimney has a light rubbing of silver wax on it.
     I used small pieces of vellum to cover the windows so that the light would appear more opaque and to make sure that the candle can't be seen through the windows.
     The log pile is small bits of a tree branch chopped into lengths and stuck together with PVA. A little real moss was added to form a bush beside the log pile and another piece of corrugated card lent up against the wall of the cabin to add interest.

      The porch is a small piece of corrugated card stuck on to the outside wall, with chopped down toothpick poles to help hold it up.
     As with the Christmas globes it looks much more effective when the candle is on and the room it's in is dark. I'm working on a way to suspend a small bird from inside without the attachment being seen.
     Please come along and join our challenge at The Male Room, any masculine project other than a card. Pop over and see what inspiration the DT have come up with.

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

Classic Design Team Challenge - Anything Goes   (M)

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes   (M)

Love To Craft - Anything Goes   (M)

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes   (W)

MHK Designs Designer Inspiration

     Welcome to my designer inspiration for April at MHK Designs, this card was made using the new set Caring Crocus.
     The image was changed to green before being printed on to white card. The leaves and body of the flower have been coloured with pencils, then the flower head outline has been foiled. Using a 2in1 glue pen I drew around the flowers petals and then used a small sheet of foil to give it a purple shine.
     A little ink around the edge of the image panel helps bring it into the purple mat layer before being mounted on a white card blank.

Caring Crocus

       I used to think digital images where just 'print and colour' so not very useful, oh how wrong I was!  They can be sized to fit your needs, turned around, you can alter their colour, take bits off, add bits from other digis and all that before you print. Once printed the colouring can be done with almost anything in your stash, even glittered or foiled.
    So I would like to say a big THANK YOU to MHK Designs for opening my eyes to the world of digital images.

   

Scrabble Fairy

     Apologies for the late arrival of my project for Altered Eclectics, lots of things have been happening here, some good and some not so good, but that's life. Thank goodness for crafting, sometimes it's the only thing to do!

      This project is for a local charity shop, a way of showing how all the odd bits and bobs can be used to make a mixed media item.
     It all started with some scrabble tiles and a few buttons, then a good rummage through all my odds and ends.
     The frame is plastic, also found in a charity shop, it had a back but no glass. I cut a piece of mount board to fit in place of a canvas to work on.

      With the board in the frame I drew around the inside edge, so I knew not to put any embellishments beyond that line.
     With my trusty hot glue gun I began to add buttons, broken bits of jewelry and shapes made with hot glue in a silicone mould. Once these items are painted they take on a whole new look whilst adding lots of great texture to the project.

     I drew around the fairy so I knew where she would be going, that way I could avoid putting anything that would be underneath her. Using some stencils and a tube of filler I added some more texture to the board.
     Once all the filler was dry I painted a layer of gesso over the whole board, then a couple of layers of acrylic pink paint. A spritz with a pink mica spray added some subtle sparkle.

     With all the paint dry it was time to add colour to the texture with some gilding wax.
     Before I started glueing bits on I had taken a photo of where I planned to put all the bits, so with to hand I started to add the finishing touches. A hot glue gun in hand I stuck the letters, flower, fairy and her wings to the board, along with a glitter covered flower in the top corner. It wasn't exactly as the starter picture but close, slight adjustments along the way which added interest.
     All that remained was to pop it in the frame, it was at this point that I was SO glad I had left that small border around the board, but the fairy could have been a little lower so she stood on the frame instead of floating a bit above it.
     The board bowed slightly, probably due to the paint, so I used hot glue on the back to seal it to the frame in the corners and along the edges. All that was left was to pop the back on and move the hanging points for a horizontal picture.
     Most of the items have come from charity shops, with the exception of the hot glue gun, waxes, spray and mount board, and they were already in my stash. To make something pink and girly was a little out of my comfort zone but I'm not too unhappy with the result.
     There is still a fortnight left to enter your project with Altered Eclectics, anything but a card or an ATC, we look forward to seeing you work.

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

An Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media   (M)

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Mixed Media   (M)

Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes   (M)

The Male Room Symmetrical Challenge

    This fortnights challenge at The Male Room is all about symmetry, there are some great examples over on the blog from our DT.

      I started with a white tag which I coloured with red Distress Ink, making the edges much darker than the middle, this was dried off with heat. The next step was to add some pattern to the background, using a stencil and Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke I worked the pattern on to the tag, this was also dried off with a gentle heat. The next layer was to go over the whole tag with the same grey Oxide ink to dull it all down a little, to finish the tag was spritzed and flicked with water.

      Using a Sizzix die I cut the Dapper gentleman in black card and then the bow tie and hat band in dark red. The black card was taped to the tag to use as a guide because I wanted to use the cut out parts, this helped me place the die cuts in exactly the right place to build the picture.
     Once removed the black card can be used to make another project, it could be a card to match the tag for a birthday.
     I have kept the ribbon simple by staining some cotton ribbon with the same Distress Inks used on the tag.
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your masculine symmetrical projects, we would love to see what you make.

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

The Paper Girls - Masculine Birthday   (F)

ARTastic - Black, White and one other   (M)

MHK Designs April Challenge

     Sorry I'm a little late with my project for MHK Designs challenge, I seem to have lost more than one hour as the clocks changed! The card was made but the post wasn't ready.
     For this card I have used the new set called Caring Crocus. I printed the image and then used an embossing pen to trace around the edges of the image, then I used coloured embossing powder to outline it.
     To colour the image I have used some powder type paint sprinkled over each area after it has been painted with a water brush, I have found it's best to work one small area at a time.
     Finishing off with a bit of matting and layering in matching colours it was completed with a layered greeting popped up on a foam pad.
    Please pop over to MHK Designs blog, if you haven't already, and take a look at all the DT inspiration for this gorgeous spring set.

Caring Crocus