Cafe Patisserie – Packaging Idea (Greencraft)

Hello
Inside the Spring 2018 issue of Stampington & Company’s Greencraft, I was thrilled to have a simple packaging idea, published.
I was inspired by Catherine Moore’s Character Constructions stamps, from the Mannequin Cafe stamp collection.  The simple idea, to re-cycle cardboard packaging into boxes which might contain a cupcake or macaroon, etc.
This is the largest of the boxes – I love this stamp. She is fussy cut then adhered to the Ledger Paper, with her holding a fussy cut cake.
The Ledger Paper was a gift from sweet Dorthe.  It was the perfect paper to adhere to the sides of the painted, re-cycled cardboard packaging.I wanted to add another something to the submission and I happened to have a spotted paper bag, the perfect extra – I could imagine a home baked cookie tucked inside. The  paper bag also tied in with the red spotted bows and red and white twine.
There are many, many reasons why I am passionate about stamping, one of them is the simple transformation of packaging that would otherwise be dumped into the re-cycle bin!  I still dearly miss Stampington’s Greencraft magazine, it was such a great publication to submit to.
Wishes
Lynne

French Laundry… Lavender Sachets @ Somerset Life

Hello
Friends of my blog will know that for a long time, I have been a fan of Character Constructions stamps (I think my first ever blog post featured a project with Character Constructions stamps).  I never tire of them.  As with any stamp that is designed to the highest level, there will always be new ways of working with them.
This idea is a simple way of making paper lavender sachets, appearing in the Oct/Nov/Dec 2017 issue of Stampington & Co’s Somerset Life magazine.  Sadly, Stampington & Co had to make the difficult decision to retire several of their titles, including Somerset Life.  I will be ever thankful for the opportunity to be published in such an exquisite magazine.
I adore this stamp from Catherine Moore.The wooden peg and buttons are adorable.The stamp above and below, are from the Blue Daisy collection.Each lavender sachet was tucked inside a Kraft pocket,the bundle of them presented in this bag…again, decorated with Character Constructions French Laundry stamps.
Thank you for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Bingo! A Bundle of Bingo Card Notebooks (Greencraft magazine)

Hello
In the Winter 2018 issue of Greencraft, I was lucky enough to have this project, of a bundle of notebooks, published.
Such a simple idea, working with old Bingo cards to make the covers of the notebooks and with a few scraps of ticking fabric and stamps, it is easy for the notebooks to come together.  In fact the most time consuming element is cutting the pages!
Me, being someone adverse to colour, I needed to tone down the colour of the Bingo cards, simple… a wash of Gesso.Stamps relating to art and creating, feature on the notebooks, on the frontand rear cover.For this cover, I mixed Red Lead, with “my journey” from one of my Affirmations stamps.To bind the books, ball chain.Luckily, I had different styles of Bingo cards to play with and incorporated some Bingo counters to embellish the notebooks.
“My story, I will Share” (from Lynne’s Affirmations Stamp Set 1)For the pencils, ticking wrapped around them to tie in with the colour theme of the notebooks.Thank you for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Field Journals @ Greencraft

Hello
Two of my all time favourite Character Constructions stamps, even before I eventually got my hands on them, Twig Chairs, they are such exquisite stamps, the details as you would expect from any Character Constructions stamps is exceptional.
Knowing I was using Green products, I decided to submit to Greencraft magazine, where they were subsequently published in the Summer 2018 issue.
I had this idea, to use birch tree bark as notebook covers and stamp directly onto the birch tree bark, something I’ve done often. I got the tree bark from a reliable and trusted source, I did not damage any tree so I could have some birch tree bark to play with!Other “Green” elements were a re-cycled coconut husk button and twine used to bind the books.
This is the rear of the second notebook…all stamps are Character Constructions.To present the notebooks, a re-cycled box.  It was dog-eared but instead of trying to fight the appearance by painting it, I distressed it further.  Re-cycled twine (from R&As packaging), re-cycled button and more stamping onto tree bark, was all that was needed to embellish the box.
Thank you so much for your visit today.
Wishes
Lynne

Seek Stillness

Hello
Over at the That’s Crafty blog today, it is my turn to share a D.T. project. As always, sharing only a peek of the project here, a project featuring one of my most favourite stamps, it is just so beautiful.

All the details are at, That’s Crafty if you would like to see the complete project.
Wishes
Lynne

Thinking Outside The Cardboard Box (Greencraft)

Hello
In the Autumn 2017 issue of Greencraft magazine, one of the articles I had published is a trio of notebooks.
Greencraft magazine is as you’d might guess, a publication focusing on re-cycling, re-using, re-purposing, a Green life.  One of the items that I re-cycle the most is cardboard, of any nature whether mailing boxes or cardboard food packaging.

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish in Antarctic was used on the corrugated cardboard which I reclaimed from a mailing box. I intentionally aimed for a distressed appearance although it is easy to achieve the corrugation without a distressed effect if that is what you prefer.

I wanted a simple aesthetic to the notebooks, stamping PaperArtsy ESN onto brown paper, re-cycled brown packing paper.

There is a slight variation to each notebook, with this cover wrapping around to the front with the button serving the purpose of wrapping the cord around to close the notebook.

Just to show that the inside of the journals is also “Green” – re-cycled brown packing paper.  You can see, I like to layer various lengths, with town edges, it brings a nice textural quality.

This is the inside of the Story of Me journal, again, re-cycled brown packing paper.

It’s not only fun, it is rewarding to take items that are found and what many would place in the re-cycle bin, transforming into the simplest of notebooks/journals.  I like them for lists, etc, everyday type of note making and once filled, they can then be disposed of but at least in the meantime, I’ve had some crafting fun making something with a purpose and the paper and cardboard packing box has not immediately made a journey to the re-cycle bin.
Hope you are all having a lovely start to this new month.
Wishes
Lynne

The Ancient Woods

Hello
Today, over at the That’s Crafty blog, I found myself taking a gentle walk into The Ancient Woods where I stumbled across a cottage, where a Wise Woman spoke to me of her friends from nature who while away the hours of the day with her.

The complete project, this is only a peek, can be seen HERE
Hope you are having a lovely Sunday.
Wishes
Lynne

Nature Study (Somerset Studio)

Hello
This project is another article in the Jan/Feb issue of Somerset Studio, it was in answer to an art call for the colour Olive which isn’t a colour which I would normally reach for but I knew I had PaperArtsy olive Fresco so I had no excuse to dive in. It was packaging which inspired me, cardboard packaging from Amazon (I always have to battle with my conscience when I say their name!!!) which has almost a folder appearance to it.

I wanted it to become a Nature Study portfolio with not only green to transform the cardboard packaging but also a Green ethos to the items I reached for throughout.

The folder opens to reveal a panel of tree bark, embellished with a piece of found paper, stamped and layered with a beautiful feather and for the right side, where a book or other item would normally be packaged, this is the area where the art panels are stored.

The jute twine ties this element to close it,

A cluster of stamped tags, it was probably walnut ink (I keep a large jar which I top up when required and so far, no sign of mould appearing) I used to stain the found paper/cardstock.  All of those stamps are from Character Constructions.  That is one of the many reasons I adore Character Constructions, not only for the stunning paper dolls stamps but there are also so many detail stamps included on the plates.

The rear which was stamped with a script stamp (PaperArtsy ESN) and a beautiful fern stamp).

Inside the portfolio there are four panels which are all substrates of birch tree bark which I have randomly painted. There are layers and layers and texture upon texture, all items from around the home and garden. Some items again stained with walnut ink and I was so pleased, without going out of my way, I discovered that piece of book text.

Tree bark, burlap, muslin, brown packing paper, cardboard paper and a wooden button/bead from a piece of clothing.

Loose fibres gives the impression of nesting material within the stamped nest, which was stamped onto birch tree bark

I peeled back a layer of the tree bark to place this stamped image of the nest behind it.

Panel Two which features another Red Lead bird stamp

which was stamped onto resin paper or maybe the ICE Resin was applied after stamping…I think I should have referred to the instructions in my article! I know he rests on a MDF heart from That’s Crafty.
Thank you to Dorthe for the driftwood and the sweet wee cone.

Within the folder, other than the two panels featuring birds, there were two other panels, featuring leaves.

The leaves were stamped onto deli paper which had the PaperArtsy Freco paint, diluted and applied to create a textural appearance.

Red Lead have an extensive range of nature themed stamps and they do some of the very best bird stamps you could ever hope to source.
I appreciate, this was a very long blog post with lots of photos so huge thanks if you managed to stay until the end!
Wishes
Lynne

All Dressed Up (Greencraft)

Hello
Vintage doilies are usually near to hand for me, most often as a background for photographs but also, using torn pieces in projects or some ear-rings I made (need to check back as I cannot remember if I shared the ear-rings on my Blog).  It was around the time of completing the ear-rings that I still wanted to play with doilies, that’s when the idea of hairband and hairclips came into my mind.  Along with the vintage doilies, which would meet the criteria for Greencraft magazine, I also worked with beautiful re-cycled silk sari ribbon and old buttons.  I was so very happy when Greencraft contacted me with an article request for the hairbands and hairclips, with the article appearing in the summer issue of  Stampington & Co’s Greencraft magazine.

The set consists of three hairbands and two hairclips, all with a distinctly vintage air to them.

The ox-blood colours brings a nice contrast amongst the ivory tones.

The same handful of supplies were used throughout, playing around with placement.

This is the detail on the third hairband – only a detail because I didn’t take a photo of this hairband, by itself.

The motifs were all treated the same way to provide stability, no floppy motifs!

I do love a sweet vintage button!

Thank You so much for your visit to this post. I hope you are all having a lovely week and crucially, lots of art time.
Wishes
Lynne

Make Your Mark (Greencraft)

Hello
I thought I would share some notebooks which appear in Stampington & Co’s Greencraft, (Spring 2017).
As you can see, they are very humble notebooks from even humbler beginnings.  You can probably guess they were constructed from re-cycled mailing box and brown packing paper, I also re-cycled items to form mark making tools.  However, each of the Affirmations, is a stencil – Red Lead Paperworks – Celebrate Your Creativity

I consciously kept the designs simple.  I wanted to show how simple it is to create notebooks with very few supplies, no specialist tools and the bulk of the supplies being re-cycled items.


By stenciling onto calico scraps, it was in keeping with the Green approach.

I also deliberately kept the paint selection to a minimum.

Other than the stenciled words, all other marks are from mark making tools.


Old buttons appear on most of the notebooks, an absolute favourite of mine.

Those wee scraps of lace that always seem to be kicking around me (!), are perfect for such projects.


A re-cycled mailing box and brown packing paper,  paint, one stencil, buttons and scraps = a stack of notebooks and a dent in my stash of re-cycled boxes and packing paper!

As I have written within Greencraft articles, there is something so fulfilling about making use of items which would otherwise be destined for the re-cycle bin. It really is about creating something from nothing.
Wishes
Lynne