June Kit Unveiled

Introducing Ann Healy as our Guest Designer This Week

Hello everyone,

Our guest designer this week is the very talented Ann Healy!

She has made an absolutely fabulous Parisian layout for us this week:

The way she has altered the Prima flower from the kit is bordering on genius! So effective and pretty!

Ann has combined and layered lots of elements from this month's kit and really embraced the vintage theme!

You can find Ann over on the Crafty Alley Ning Network , so if you haven't already signed up, what are you waiting for? There are lots of super talented ladies sharing their work over there.

She also has a new blog HERE, so check that out too.

Katie xoxo

This has been a great kit!

Hi Ladies, I can hardly believe that it's time to close out another kit month! Where has the time gone?! Have you enjoyed seeing all of the DT projects as much as I have? So many great ideas to inspire.

Thank you Cathy for creating such a great kit for all of us to work/play with. Can't wait for the June kit, I'm sure everyone will just LOVE it!

The supplies used from the Crafty Alley May kit were:

Bazzil cardstock

Vintage Findings patterned paper

Vintage Findings Ephemera die cuts

Vintage Findings paper ribbon

Cotton ribbon trim (1 was Glimmer Misted)

Card base and envelope

May Vintage Findings Kit

Hi there and thanks for stopping by. Today I'd like to show you some cards that I've made using the gorgeous DP from the May Vintage Findings Kit.

Supplies used:-

Bazzil cardstock

Bazzil Bling Cardstock

Vintage Findings patterned paper

Distress Stickles

Hope you like the cards that I've created and has given you a little inspiration.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Hugs Michele x

Tutorial Wednesdays: How To Make a Star Book

Hi Guys!

Here is the star book tutorial as promised.

Also, I have added some more photos from Ebony to the Monday post, so scroll down and have a look!!

Hugs

Katie xoxo

Vintage Star Book

Hello everyone,

Today I have a star book to share with you all. Here it is closed ..

I made a charm using the Magic Mesh supplied in the kit, and one of the butterflies from the butterfly ribbon, which I coloured with inks and adhered to one of the Tim Holtz fragment charms. I also added the key from the kit and tied some of the red ribbon to the swivel clasp.

Here is the book opened out:

I will be posting a tutorial on this project TOMORROW so stay tuned!!

Hugs

Katie xx

Introducing This Weeks Guest Designer: Ebony!!

Hello everyone!!

How are you all? I hope you have all had a fantastic weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather!
We have a great start to the week this week, and it is my great pleasure to introduce to you our Guest Designer for this week: Ebony!

Ebony has made a couple of projects for us this week; firstly, an altered art journal:

Ebony has also made a beautiful chipboard mini page for us using the May kit:

I love how Ebony has combined her artistic style with a vintage photograph to create a piece that is as unique as it is beautiful..

Here's a few words from Ebony on her project:

"Hey guys, Design Kits are exciting! :) This was my first kit and it really was a great selection of crafty bits, very inspiring! I used the scalloped chipboard piece because it was just asking to be decorated! I used the red felt sheet (which got glammed up with Stickles), black lace and a Dabber (which wasn't in the kit) and made my first side. For the other side, I used a tattered rose Distress Ink to make it a bit colourful and then used one of the Vintage Findings papers to give it an old feel :) I found a picture of my boyfriends grandmother which was just perfect for my page and I embellished with the flowers. For the first side I used the swivel clip,key,hinge clip and pin to create a diverse look and I really loved the finished piece and I hope you do too! :) Thanks xx"

You can see more of Ebony's work on her blog HERE. Why not pop over and give her some crafty love?

Don't forget we are always looking for Guest Designers to be featured on Mondays, so please continue to email Cathy your beautiful creations.

Katie xoxo

A Rose is a Rose

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Here is a card made using the May kit from Crafty Alley. Hope you like it.

Supplies from the kit used were:

Bazzil cardstock

Bazzil Bling Cardstock

Vintage Findings patterned paper

Gems

Hope you have a great week!

Crafty Hugs,

Robyn xx

Chipboard Clipboard Tutorial

Hi there and thanks for stopping by. Today I'd like to show you how I've made this cute little clipboard using items from the May Vintage Findings Kit.

1 x Scalloped Chipboard piece

1 x DP 12.5cm x 9.5cm

1 x DP 12cm x 9cm

1 x DP 8.5cm x 7cm

1 x DP 8cm x 6.5cm

Distress Stickles

Distress Ink

Gems

First of all ink all the edges of the Scalloped Chipboard piece using distress ink. For my project I've used Frayed Burlap.

Next ink all the edges of the DP again using Distress Inks. For the next step I've added Distress Stickles to the edges of the Scalloped Chipboard piece along with the DP.

Next I've used MME Bloom & Grow clear stamps set from Crafty Alley and stamped the images using Frayed Burlap Distress Inks. I've then applied double-sided tape to the underneath and stuck the papers down in the above layout.

And here is the end result after applying a cute little image and some flowers along with the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hinge Clips and Swivel Clasps

I hope that this tutorial has given you some ideas.

Hugs Michele x

Crafty Contacts Book

Introducing Timi as our guest designer this week.

Hi all,

This week I am delighted to introduce our guest designer Timi. Timi made this gorgeous exploding box using this months Crafty Alley May Kit (which has already sold out). If you have missed this months kit you can still register for next months kit. Please just email the shop and we will include you in our monthly kit club.

This exploding box is amazing and incorporates journalling, pockets and tags. You can read more about the project here on Timi's blog.

Thank you so much Timi for submitting your May kit project and being our guest designer this week Timi!

Remember you too can be a guest designer this month. Just email me pictures of a project you have completed using this months May kit.

Thanks all

Cathy x

Crafty Home Decor Made with Love

Hi Everyone, I have a quick and fun piece of home decor to share with you today using the Crafty Alley Kit for May which is available for purchase HERE (only 1 or 2 left I believe). This was the first project that I completed when I saw this awesome kit. I created it using the scalloped chipboard piece; which I first painted (2 coats) with my Adirondack Dabber in Snow Cap. I then painted the surface with Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy and set it aside to dry over night. The next day I sprayed it with Moonlight Glimmer Mist so that the detail of the crackling effect would be more visible and give it a more aged appearance. The May kit comes with an entire roll of Magic Mesh. I added a strip of it behind the photo. The photo itself is matted on some of the patterned paper from the Vintage Findings collection (also included in the kit). I Glimmer Misted the 2 Prima Flowers from the kit in Olive Vine and Moonlight, added a fabric flower and 3 gems from the kit. The trim is from the Crafty Alley Shop; which can be purchased separately.

Here's what I used from the kit for this project:

Scalloped Chipboard Square/Rectangle

Magic Mesh

2 Prima Flowers

Vintage Finding Patterned Paper (photo mat)

Ribbon

Gems

Hinge Clip

Garment Pin

Tag

Crafty Hugs,

Robyn xx

Scalloped Chipboard Clipboard

Hi there everyone and thanks for stopping by. Today I'd like to show you a little project that I've made using items from the gorgeous May Vintage Findings Kit.

Everything apart from the flowers and image I've used which is in the May Vintage Findings Kit. I'll put together a tutorial on how to make this cute little clipboard and post it on here in the next few days - so watch this space :0)

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Hugs Michele xx

Tutorial Wednesday: How to make a Carnation Flower

Hi guys,

Katie here, and I have a quick tutorial to share with you today.

I don't know about you all, but I am slightly obsessed with flowers. I grow them, I buy them, I draw them, I paint them, I decorate with them, I make them, I even eat them (edible ones, in a salad of course).

One of my favourites (not to eat!! ha ha) is this type of carnation, so I decided to work on a method to make a flat(ish) version out of paper that I could use on cards and other papercrafting projects. And, the best part of this tutorial is that it uses SUPER cheap materials.

I'm not at home at the moment, I had to go unexpectedly to the UK so don't have access to all my usual equipment, so big thanks to Jo Brett for allowing me to use all your things! She has the pink Cuttlebug, isn't it cute??

For this tutorial you will need:

• plain old white computer printer paper
• any type of edging scissors
• glue
• watercolour paints
• a die-cutting machine and die, or flower punches. Whichever you use, you will need to be able to cut three different sizes of flower. I am using the Hello Kitty nested flowers Sizzlet.
  

Firstly, you will need to cut your paper pieces. Die-cut or punch 7 large flowers, 3 medium flowers, and 3 small flowers.

Then, use your scissors to trim off the very ends of your petals to give a frilly look.

With your 7 larger flowers, gradually cut off more and more of the petal to make the petal layers gradually reduce in size.

You should now have something like this:

Now, using whatever colour you like, paint the edges with watercolour paints. You could also use inks, or pens, or whatever you have. I just love watercolours :)

You should now have something like this. On the smallest flowers, I also painted some yellow and green into the centres.

When they are dry, it's time to add some body to the petals. For this, I have used a hair grip! But you could use whatever you like. I thread each petal into the grip, and twist.

This makes each layer look a bit like this:

When they are all completed, you should have something like this:

Now, layer up your pieces and glue into place, and you're done!!

Well that's all for today. I hope you have found this tutorial useful. If you decide to make some carnations, why not leave a comment here with a link to your project, I would love to see what you come up with.

Also don't forget, if you have bought the May Kit you can apply to be a Crafty Alley Guest Designer!! Check out the Ning network for more details.

Hugs,

Katie xoxo

Fun Squash Book

Hi Ladies,

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I have a Squash Book to share with you today using supplies from the May Crafty Alley Kit. Hope you enjoy it.

The supplies from the kit used were:

Bazzil cardstock

Vintage Findings patterned paper

Metal key

Bling

Tim Holtz Fragment

Bling

Garment Pin

Crafty Hugs,

Robyn xx