Sometimes holding onto things for no apparent reason works out in the end. I had this empty chocolate tin for ages now – just-in-case-I-wanted-to-turn-it-into-something. You know the stuff, and I am sure you know the feeling. The empty promise of one-day turning into someday. So today was the day. I was going to turn the empty tin into a gift tin for someone special. I first painted the tin using the new Chalk paint available in South Africa, and then added some dark wax to finish it off – making it perfect for handling. The colour is not quite what I wanted but in the end it worked out fine. I then used some of the new Prima embellishments and stamps to create the top decorative part. Here’s how I did it…

these beautiful resin topiary trees can be used on cards and layouts and make for a stunning accent

2. Once dry, stamp the bicycle image onto the cardstock and punch into a large circle.
3. Mist some Opaque white Mister Huey onto a craft sheet. Stamp your rubber stamp into the ink and then stamp onto the bicycle image. The white will only leave a partial impression making for an interesting background. Leave to dry and then ink the edges of the circle with a dark brown ink.

i am always on the lookout for something cool to alter using my scrapbooking supplies. so when i happen to do a little "prop" shopping for a photo shoot i picked up some really cool things from Pep Home. i got this frame for R9.99 - a real bargain i would say. and give me some beautiful scrapbooking paper and embellishments and you have a winning combination. to read more about my approach on this project you can head on over here

i love the beautiful chipboard elements in this range.

Couture Creations Craft Knife [ADCO 721987]

 all these wonderful products are available from The Wholesaler in South Africa.

i have always loved a good resist - its almost like breaking the rules instead of conforming to what society thinks is right. i am a rule breaker - a rebel at heart.

5.a substance that prevents or inhibits some effect from taking place, as a coating on a surface of a metallic printing plate that prevents or inhibits corrosion of the metal by acid
 our challenge this week at Scrap Africa was to do a resist technique. there are many different forms of resist but one thing is clear....
basically anything that is white will resist
white wax crayon, white wood glue, white lotion, white rub-ons, white embossing powder, clear embossing powder, white pan pastels, white pastels, white water colour paint, white quache, white oil paint, white gel pens, masking fluid, fluid stamping ink - to name a few

i used wood glue as a resist to create a coloured background for my card

step 1 - i first stamped a script stamp onto plain smooth white cardstock
step 2 - add a small amount of wood glue and spread it out using an old credit card. don't cover the entire surface with the glue - you want some cardstock to show through

step 3 - leave the glue to dry really well
step 4 - once the glue is dry, ink the cardstock using different colours of distress ink using an applicator tool and sponges

**remember to change the sponges as you change your ink colour to prevent contamination
step 5 - lightly mist with water and leave to dry
step 6 - use a soft cloth to wipe any ink off of the glue
use your background on a tag, card or on a layout

i love the interesting effects you can achieve with the glue, ink and water - totally unique and always different

hop on over to see what the other design team members came up with and play along - we would love to have you as a guest...happy resisting! thanks for stopping by and have a wonderfully creative week.

PS. at least i have one Festive season card done and dusted - how about you?

sketch 286 is up over at nuts about sketches. i loved working with this sketch - i love straight lines and repetition (mostly what design is about for me) and so i cold really just do a simple layout for me! there's something different about just scrapping for yourself - no pressure and worries if someone will like it but you - and best of all using those papers from and rub-on from 10 years ago.

old paper and rub-ons combines with new elements - perfect harmony!

to make the old paper new, i also added some washi tape strips to update the look - and added sewing right through it all for some added texture.

simply love how it turned out! simple and uncomplicated like nuts about sketches. so head on over and see what the other design team members came up with, and play along - get those single page layouts done - i know you have albums with a blank beginning and end! have a super day! mine will be filled with inks and paints and goodness all around!

This week is time for another great sketch over at scrapbook challenge. i love how this sketch is open to interpretation and there are so many options for doing your own thing. i did change things up as usual to suit my style. to truly appreciate the versatility you need to head on over to the site to see what the other girls did with their layouts. as a new twist Brynn (our talented group owner) has added some challenges to the sketch to keep things interesting - this time around it was to use 'chevron' and wood 'veneer' - i got to use one of my all time favourite chevron papers.

here's the original sketch ...

i used some ancient Heidi Swapp words - i am amazed at how classic these still are! and so happy that i got to use these from my stash...

i also got to use these gorgeous rub-ons from a company that no longer exists - sadly! and how funny that i got them as a gift from the original owner of scrapbook challenges Pamela Young and a great inspiration to me!

and finally some techniques and stamping for that unique element.

and everything thrown into a big match to create yet a beautiful memory! i also added some texture using my beautiful Dina Wakeley stamp in a soft green chalk ink pad. just enough to add some interest on my background. thanks for stopping by and here's wishing you another wonderful and creative week.