The Craftminded: 2016

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Fabrika Decoru's DT Call!

Hi Guys!

I'm back again with a new blog post!

This post will be slightly different from what I had posted before.

I had created this post specially for Fabrika Decoru's DT Call! Remember a few months back, I was guest-designing for them? Hope this time round, I can be part of their 2017 design team!

To find out more of their DT Call, click on the image below!

I was very privilege to had the opportunity to guest designed for them and to sample their products that they had sent me. To be perfectly honest, I did not have the chance to come into contact with Fabrika Decoru's products prior to guest-designing for them as it seems like there's no retailer in Singapore that sells their products (if I'm not wrong). I really love their product range and the quality of their products! In fact, I'm using the leftovers from the guest-design kit sparingly (I think it shows how much I loved them). :)))

By working with Fabrika Decoru, I hope I will be able to promote Fabrika Decoru's products in the local scrapbook community.

Here are some of my past work!

To see the tutorial for this layout, click HERE!

Follow me on my social media platforms!

Blog: http://mabsdesigns.blogspot.sg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecraftminded

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecraftminded/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/MabelSimCraftminded

That's all for this post!

Fingers crossed on this DT application!

Till next time! Cheers! :)

Saturday, 19 November 2016

Words and Paintery November Challenge

Hi Guys!

I'm back to showcase my monthly reveal of my DT work at Words and Paintery.

This time round, the colour scheme is super sweet! Don't you think so? I love the colours!

The challenge will run till 15 December and this month's sponsor is none other than Wild Orchid Crafts! So by participating, you get a chance to win vouchers to shop at their extensive range of mulberry flowers!

Without further ado, here's what I did.

If you're interested to find out how I created certain effects or what materials I used, do comment below. I'll be happy to answer any questions!

Cheers!

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

Words & Paintery and Blue Fern Studios October Challenge: WINTER SMILE

Hi Guys!

I'm back to share a layout which I named it 'Winter Smile'.

I guess living in Singapore, a tropical country in Southeast Asia with only sunshine and rain, I'm always very fascinated with snow and cold weather. In fact as I am writing this, I will be off to airport for a trip to South Korea shortly after I post this *insert SQUEAL*!

My layout was inspired by both Words & Paintery and Blue Fern Studios October Challenge.

Words & Paintery Challenge runs till 15 November and this month's sponsor is none other than UmWow Studios! For more information, click HERE!

Blue Fern Studios' Challenge will run till the end of month, there are certain rules to the challenge, for more information, click HERE!

Here's my take on both challenge!

As you can see, it's slightly different from the sketch.

As the BFS challenge required participants to use their chipboards or their papers, I had to make some adjustments since I had limited supplies of their products. I also believe with the limited supplies, that's when one's creativity would run wild!

I had altered their patterned paper with water colour so that it has a blue tint as well as to cut their chipboard into half so that it looks as if it extended from the photo.

I had used white embossing powder to emboss the chipboard so that it's pure white and will not be tainted with the mediums I was using.

I had used die cuts from Simon Says Stamp snowflakes dies as well as Heidi Swapp's sentiments die cuts which I brushed on a coat of Wink of Stella before putting on a coat of glossy accent.

I had used assorted flowers from Prima Marketing, Petaloo and some from random sources which I collected overtime.

Last but not least, I added sentiments using Tim Holtz stickers at the corner of the layout as a finishing touch.

Be sure to check out my blog more often or follow me on my social media for more updates of my crafting journey!

Blog: http://mabsdesigns.blogspot.sg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecraftminded

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecraftminded/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/MabelSimCraftminded

Cheers everyone!

Thursday, 20 October 2016

Cherish - Grungy Distress Star

Hi Guys!

I'm back today to share with you a canvas I did for Words and Paintery Challenge blog.

I had altered a hanging ornament I got from my local craft store, Artfriend. The star came with hanging piece at the back, which I unscrewed and removed it so that I can adhere it flat to the canvas.

I had prepared the 2 pieces, the star and canvas seperately using mediums from 13arts, Colourarte and Prima Finnabair. I also sprinkled some Finnabair mini art stones before the Finnabair Crackle Paint dry. I had also purposely peeled out some parts of the crackled paint after its dried so that there's some empty spot to give it a distress, grungy touch.

The rolled flowers are made from Sizzix dies, leaves from Prima dies and Chipboard from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.

That's all for this post!

Be prepared for more post as I am catching up on my blogging duties after neglecting it for so long.

So stay tuned!

See ya!

Sunday, 28 August 2016

Words and Paintery + Kaisercraft Challenge!

HI GUYS!

I'm back to share my DT post for Words and Paintery for the month of August.

This mood board was definitely not an easy one for me. If you guys have seen my previous projects, I rarely use dark colours. I had to find a balance between creating something that fits this theme while not losing my personal style, which made this a perfect challenge for me!

For more info, click HERE!

Besides using Words and Paintery's moodboard, I was also very inspired by Kaisercraft's Sketch Challenge. This is my very first time participating in their challenge and I have to say I really like their sketches!

For more info, click HERE!

Here's the layout I did.

I rotated the sketch anti-clockwise because I liked it better this way. It's also making this layout a little more unique while not losing the gist of the challenge.

Most of the items used are from Kaisercraft, especially the Boho Dreams collection.

I love that collection!!!

Let me know what you think of this layout! :)

Cheers!

Monday, 25 July 2016

July Challenge with Words and Paintery & 13arts!

For my post today, I'll be presenting my layout inspired by both Words & Paintery colour
mood board as well as 13arts' mood board for the July challenge.

To be perfectly honest, I was a little stuck with this mood board, reason being that this colour scheme probably would not be what I would go for. I guess you can say that my style usually consists of pastel or cheerful colours? Vintagy colours are really not up my alley.

Did I tell you tell that I'm currently one of the design team members for Words & Paintery too? So I will participate on W&P's mood board every month and challenge myself to all these colours! I guess its a pretty good thing to do. It sorta gives you a kick in the butt and start cracking your brains on thinking what to do.

SO GO CHALLENGE YOURSELF!!

For more information about Words & Paintery challenge, click HERE!

It's also pretty awesome that 13arts' moodboard also came out with the theme of 'Being Daring'!

This month's challenge was hosted by Fiona. The few pictures provided on the mood board did stimulate my thinking, hence I decided to pull out my mum's old photos and decided to go head on with the theme 'vintage'!

For more info about 13arts challenge, click HERE!

Here are some close up pictures of what I have done.

And finally, the final look of the layout!!

That's all for this blog post!

I do have to apologize that I will probably not post tutorial for every single project I will be doing. Reason being that creating is my hobby and writing is really not by forte. I always get this feeling that I'm always repeating myself for every single tutorial I posted.

BUT!

I do welcome discussions!

If you're interested to know what products I used, or how I created certain effect and things, do comment below and I will be happy to share!

Ciao~!

Friday, 24 June 2016

2ND GDT POST FOR FABRIKA DECORU!

Hi Guys!

I'm here to share a layout I created specially for Fabrika Decoru with the sample pack they sent me. If you have read my previous post, that is the first post I created for them and this second time round, I created something that I haven done in a long time, that is something with the vintage theme!

This is the final look of what I have created.

It was especially challenging for me as I'm used to pastel or bright colours. Albeit that, a challenge is always good once in a while right?

My layout was inspired by More than Words challenge, of which their current theme of the month is Imagina and Get Messy. To see their rules in participation, click HERE!

I first started out with prepping patterned cardstock from Fabrika Decoru's Vintage Romance Collection (FDSP-01003) with a coat of clear gesso. See how pretty the papers are?

My layout flow was inspired by the floral piece. I especially love the hints of blue that seeps through in the midst of the floral. To enhance the flow, I tore off the edges on both sides of the floral paper, the polka dots created some contrast and added interest to the background.

To create some texture, I used Fabrika Decoru's White Texture Paste (FDTPT 150) with their Delicate Lace 1 stencil.

I also used Waves Illusion stencil (FDTR 154) with their White Sand Texture Paste (FDTPS 150) to create some variation to the textures.

I realised this was the same combination I did for the previous layout! I unknowingly grabbed this products, I guessed I really love them! <3

When the pastes are all dried, I started applying colours. For my previous layout, I put the focus onto the sprays that was given to me, this time round, I'm putting the focus on to the acrylic paints.

I'm using Deco Acrylic in Peach (FDAD 33), Wheat (FDAD 38) and Olive (FDAD 14).

What i did was I slightly dilute them with water to make them less intense, with the liquidity, it was easier to maneuver. As you can see, I just randomly brush it on without any rules as to where the colours should go. The only thing that you should keep in mind is that ALWAYS dry each colour before applying another. If the colours mixed together, they will tend to get muddy.

After all that's done, I decided I need darker colours to create some contrast, hence I'm using Fabrika Decoru's Chocolate Truffle Spray Chameleon (FDSH 22) as well as to create some sprinkles with black and white sprays, as well as the 3 diluted Deco Acrylic previously used to colour the background.

Don't worry if this looks all messy and ugly, I promised everything will be better afterwards when my centrepiece goes up!

Now I'm starting to build my centrepiece!

I was very attracted to the lace 'doily' thing that framed Fabrika Decoru's logo. This sheet was actually the coversheet for their Shabby Dreams Collection (FDSP 01012). I was pleasantly surprised that even the coversheet was printed in weighted cardstock! Hence, I decided to fussycut out the doily and add it to my layerings.

There you go! This concoction of paper layerings were made from the Shabby Dreams collection and Vintage Romance collections. Aren't they lovely?

However, when I placed it on top of my background, I decided that my centrepiece looks too 'clean' for the background.

Hence, I distressed the edges of my papers with brown ink and a sponge to give it a 'vintage' look.

Time for embellishments!

I added Prima Marketing's wire trims by coiling them in circles to bring the focus to the photo. I also decided that the green I wanted was buried with all these layering of colours and embellishments. Hence, I painted the wire trim with Deco Acrylic Olive.

I used assorted flowers from Prima Marketing and my personal stash as well as randomly tangled some black sewing threads and used them as my embellishments. The black thread around different areas of the layout helps to ties in the different elements of the layout.

At the bottom of the picture, I also added some diecuts from Fabrika Decoru's Chipboard Stickers Letter of Love (FDV 001) to create some balance to my layout. As you can see, my centrepiece is slightly towards the left of the layout, hence I need some balance on the right.