Dress Up 2010 September.

After a great deal of computer woes, I'm finally back.
I have a shiny new Apple Mac and it's like going from a Lada to a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce.
R.I.P. to my microsoft tower of shite.

I am however in a learning curve with the iphoto program and resizing for blogger.
What is the matter with uploading photo's with blogger at the moment?
"If it works fine lets mess it up"  is that google's mantra today/this week?

Anyway enough of that.

I made this dress so long ago I can hardly remember how I made it but I do remember this is my second attempt. My first go could best be described as Confused Christmas Crap.
The autumn theme got blurified by xmas looking trees AND even adding glitter glue didn't fix it.
 I would include a picture of it but you might be about to eat your tea and I don't want to put you off your nosh.
Click on it to make it hopefully bigger.

This photo shows some of the layers including the ones on the bottom of the skirt.
 I do like sticky up bits.

Stamp set is Habico - Autumn leaves 2.
Stamped on white card using Versafine vintage sepia.
They are clear stamps that work brilliantly and cost £2.85 full price.
Hmm, that's food for thought isn't it?
I used Derwent Inktense pencils to colour in.
If I did anything else I can't remember now but it is backed onto thick watercolour paper to give it good rigidity and I have forgotten to stick my hanger on- doh!

Margaret is still going strong with the challenge and her dresses get better and better.
I will try and get my Wardrobe finished this month or definitely maybe for November.

Sorry to everyone for not doing the blogging rounds lately, I shall try and remedy that very soon.

Happy creating!
Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010 August.

Just in case you have forgotten, the lovely Margaret at Alice and Camilla's blog hosts this challenge.
Go visit her and leave a comment please, it'll help take her mind off all the building work noise.

This month I planned to do a summer green dress.
I picked green because none of my dresses have been green yet despite the fact that I use green a lot in my projects and I wondered why that was.
Looking in my wardrobe gave the answer because I don't buy green clothes.
Weird that I'd unconsciously reflected that in my Dress Up wardrobe.

This is my second dress I made this month because the first one I made wasn't um green.
Good to see I can keep to a theme then.
Click on it to make it bigger but you can't see the shiny gold mica on it, sorry I forgot to take a shiny shot for posterity, my bad.

How I made it.

For the background I splodged Inkadinks in Gooseberry Fool and Yummy Yellow from the bright range onto my waterproof craft sheet. You can use acetate, glass or anything else that is flat and waterproof instead of the waterproof craft sheet, I only bought mine as it is heat proof and I heat emboss on my oak table, which has the potential to be a hideously expensive mistake.

I spritzed water onto the inks and then dabbed my thin white card (160g/m2) onto the inks sitting on the craft sheet.
When that was fully dry I sprayed gold mica powder mixed with water over the top using a Tim Holtz mini mixer.
Inkadinks and mica powders from www.imaginationcrafts.co.uk
A great store, excellent products and customer service and very very good value too (no, I don't get a commission, remember there is only you, me and Spanky reading this blog.)

I used a Image Tree calligraphy stamp and the fabulous free Craft Stamper flower stamp from a the August 2010 edition and the teeny distant birds from the Crafty Individuals stamp; the one with the birdcage, birdhouse and birds in branches, yes - that one!
All stamped in Adirondack dye ink in clover.

A bit of lace and light green ric rac ribbon from www.alteredelement.co.uk
I first tried to glue the white lace on with Matte Accents but it absorbed the green Adirondack dye ink and made a right mess of the lace so don't try that at home! Then I tried white PVA with a new bit of lace and that worked fine.

Can you guess what the sleeve cuffs are made from?
Go on, I'll wait...

No, not that, try again.

Do you give up then??
The waste card from the top of..... Martha Stewart's Gothic Arches border punch.
No really, it is and do you know what?
If I painted it gold, it would look very like German Scrap wouldn't it?
It could be used on Inches and ATC's or any other project where just a short strip of German Scrap was required.

I've remember to take some photos of how I finish my dresses.
After I have finished the front of the dress I cut a very slightly smaller template using 300g/m2 watercolour paper which will give the dress it's rigidity. I colour around the edges with a colour that will blend in with the dress.

Then I glue it using white PVA to the back of the dress.
Then I use Scotch Magic tape to stick the coat hanger onto the watercolour paper.

Then I use white PVA to glue the back of the dress onto the watercolour paper.
The dress is then 3 layers thick and you can't see the coat hanger. Of course I forgot to photograph the back of the dress so just scrunch up your face and imagine it please.
It is a unembellished piece of the green and yellow background inkadinks paper I made.

When I first sat down to make a summer GREEN dress this is what I made.
Click on it to make it bigger.

I have to wonder at what part of GREEN I didn't understand.
It's probably due to the brain fartage that occurs outrageously regularly.

Fartage = to fart collectively.

Oh well, Evangeline can use this one for moments when she gets the urge to be a domestic goddess (bog cleaner) .

However I think I have redeemed myself somewhat by remembering to take a photo of all 8 dresses together, yey go me!

Click on it to make it even bigger.

Do you have a favourite?

Mine is January's The Shiny Eye of Sauron, not because it is the prettiest but because it makes me laugh.

You have to understand the reverence with which The Lord of the Rings trilogy is held by some of our household.

Himself reads the books at the beginning of every year and has the 3,452 hour versions of Peter Whosit's film trilogy.

But Spanky made it so I'm safe.

If in trouble just say "Spanky did it" or 

"Spanky made me do it".

It's OK,  Spanky's shameless and I'll vouch for you.

Happy creating!

Gini

xx

Dress Up 2010 July. Here comes the bride all Spankified.

The deliciously delightful Margaret is hosting the Dress Up 2010 here.

Here comes the bride all Spankified.

Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger.

Ever since Evangeline set eyes on Hauwt Hottie Guy here, Spanky has been preparing her wedding dress.
Nothing like a bit of forward planning.
Just in case you can't remember what Hauwt Hottie Guy looks like, here's a reminder.

First rule of being a girl scout is never pass up the chance to ogle a Stud Muffin.
I was and still am a very diligent student of this rule.
Steadfastness is a virtue.



Spanky has let me tell you how she made this one.
 
Firstly using this template cut a dress out of white felt.

Now about the sewing thread I use.
If you've never heard of this thread before you are either going to love me or hate me for telling you about it, because once you've seen the finish it gives you there will be no going back; a bit like flirting with the dark side :-)

It's quilter's invisible nylon thread and it's designed for use in sewing machines to do the stitching that holds the three layers of quilt together; the backing, the padding and the quilted front panel.
You can also use it for overlocking, appliqué, bobbin work etc.
I would imagine it will make a fabulous job of invisibly machine sewing that pleated paper/ribbon technique that is so popular on cards at the moment.


The total brilliance of this thread is that it is invisible so if you hand sew ribbons, beads etc onto a fabric you cannot see any of the holding stitches at all.  Also it doesn't matter how untidy your stitches are because you can't see them.
Now for someone like me who has always hand sewn with more exuberance than skill, it is simply a modern day miracle.

For hand sewing the down side of it is also it's strength; the invisibility, which means threading your needle is a pain even using a needle threader and as it is nylon it is harder to fasten on the back to start with.
Also, it is very difficult to use in artificial light and even in daylight I use the position of my thumb on my non sewing hand to let me know where the next stitch needs to go.
Top Tip: If you are feeling friendly you could always use someone else's thumb.
BUT you can't get a better finish and personally speaking that makes it totally worth it.

This is what the thread looks like.

I use the .004 thread size as it will sew through even the tiniest of seed beads.
I use a tiny 3.1cm sewing needle. (I must be doolally.)


Back to the dress.

1. Start with the ribbons. This is what we are aiming for.

Using 1cm wide pale pink ribbon.

Do the side ribbons first starting at the waistband.
Use running stitch.
Sew across the top of the ribbon at one side of the waist band.
Fold a pleat and then sew across the top of the pleat. Repeat until you get to the bottom of the skirt.
Use a ruler to measure the spaces and the pleat length if it helps you, I did.
Fold the ribbon around the back of the bottom of the skirt and sew it down and cut off the rest of the ribbon.

                                                                       The front

                                                                      

                                                                      The back

Do the other side ribbon next.

Then do the centre ribbon. Do the centre ribbon last because it is shorter than the side ribbons and you need to judge by eye where the folds need to go, measuring isn't going to help on this one and I don't know about your relationship with God and whether he will help you or not.
Need a stiff drink yet? Don't worry, you soon will.

2. Sew the white lace across the bottom hem inbetween the bottom pale pink pleats.

3. Next sew the two 4mm wide cherry purple ribbons inbetween the pale pink ribbons.
Sew using running stitch from the waistband downwards to the bottom of the skirt.

4. Then using running stitch sew the 1.5cm wide eyelet lace over the top of the cherry purple ribbon.
Sew down one side of the lace and up the other side so it is properly attached and you need not fear that a rogue elephant can rip it off the dress.Very important that. Remember safety first.

5. For the waistband, sew pink heart shiny embellishments one by one across the top of the skirt ribbons. See second picture below.
Then sew a white pearl shiny embellishment on top of each of the pink hearts and sew a tiny pink seed bead into the middle of each white pearl.

6. Sew white pearls around the neckline again including a little pink seed bead in the middle of the button.
Sew some more across the bottom of the skirt. See finished dress picture at the top of this post.
You will probably need a lot of alcohol by now, so finish the rest of it later.

7. You back then? Got a hangover? Well tough, lets finish this sucker.
Pick up the invisible thread again, go on you know you want to.
Just think of the immaculate finish you get or just think of the Queen and England instead.
You owe it to your country, you know you do.

In fact it's a bit like sewing the Emperor's new clothes and we all know what happened to him don't we?

Nehked in the streets.

8. Finish by sewing pearl torpedo/Guinea Pig Pooh shaped beads and pink seed beads to the edge of the sleeves.
Now I had had quite enough by then but you could go on and sew teeny tiny white pearl seed beads down the skirt ribbons if you feel like it or you might like to go and find more drink.
Tricky choice for you to make there.


I will leave the photo's of the dresses altogether until next month as I need to buy a bit of dowel (sp? rhymes with towel) to hang them on and this post is already very long.

The thought of going shopping makes me shudder with horror and not shiver with delight unfortunately.
I know; how weird for a girl.

Happy creating!
Gini xx

Dress Up 2010 June

The lovely Margaret's Dress Up challenge is going full throttle here.
You can still join in if you have the urge.

My apologies for not visiting anyone lately, I have been decidedly under the weather for 6 or so weeks now and everything has been on hold.

But the good news is I have a getting back to health plan which includes working reduced hours until the school summer holidays and then am at home with my kiddiewinks for the whole 6 weeks for some R & R!
I thank my lucky stars for having an employer who will let me take unpaid leave and keep my job.
Hopefully by September I will be back to my usual state of wellness.
Nothing but good times ahead :-)

Onto June's Dress.
I have always associated June with Summer Balls.
I don't think there is any logic to why I think that, but hey - who cares!
This dress is one I would have loved to have worn when I was younger (and had a flatter stomach.)
Click on it to make it bigger.


I did a watercolour wash on thick watercolour paper.Stamped a Personal Impressions flourish randomly with Adirondack dye ink in Clover and added some shiny!

I found these little coat hangers that fit my dress template perfectly.




They are made by Woodware and are called 20 Mini Coat Hangers code EMB024 and cost a mere £2.85 and you get them in an alterable box frame as well from www.alteredelement.co.uk
This is a great store, fast service and excellent customer service.


My dress templates are downloadable from this post if you want to use them.

I had an accident with my April dress. Yikes!
My printer is on a shelf above my crafting workspace and for some unknown reason black ink dripped out of a cartridge that I was changing and splashed all over the dress.

This is how it looked before.


I tried to rescue it by adding black doodles and some pearls and a flowery thing but it still looked fugly, so I mixed some peachy coloured mica powder with water and painted over everything, then restamped the birds and crowns in gold ink.
This is it after.




I prefer it in it's new incarnation so maybe it was serendipity, but it didn't feel like it at the time!

I mentioned to some of you I would photograph all the dresses together for June's post but I haven't got round to it yet- sorry.
I still can't decide how to decorate my wardrobe; too many choices I think.

I hope to visit all you other dress up players soon and everyone else in crafty blogland, I have been feeling the lack of you all!

Happy creating!

Dress Up 2010. Spanky does feeling gay in the month of May.

Evangaline asked Spanky for something fresh, bright and cheerful, something she could wear anywhere.

Now I can't see Evangeline doing her weekly shop in Asda in this outfit, she'll never even make it through the fruit and veg section with all those precious jewels on display like that.

Click on it to make it bigger.


In case you want to join in or have a gawk at everybody else's dresses you can find May's dresses here and it's Mr Linky which makes it so much easier.

Hope you are all having a fabulous week.

I can feel a posting frenzy coming on which has got to be better that a rabid dog frenzy coming on.

Happy creating!
Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010. April

Yep, I know it is May but that one is also done and so is June's, so there!

What happened was, in typical Land of Shiny fashion I started April's dress back before we had the lovely 3 weeks of sunshine and I was feeling the winter blues, so go out my watercolours and made a dress that could only be for a June ball.
So I tried again and designed a new style of dress and got halfway through December's dress before I remembered to STOP and make April's dress.
Then other things got in the way.
So here we are in May with me making a million and a half excuses.
Yes, I know Spanky is never late with her dresses.

The way I see it is that there are two ways of approaching this dress making challenge.
You can make a piece of art that just happens to be in the shape of a dress or you can make a miniature dress with collars and belts etc.

So far I have been making miniature dresses.
Each month so far I have tried to do the piece of art style but couldn't because it was very firmly a little wearable dress.

But not so this month.

Be kind because this is my first go at proper Craft Stamper magazine style stamping and distressing. Well as much distressing as my little accurate and neat art freak self could stand.
This is not Land of Shiny style at all.

Click on it to make it bigger.

How I made it.

I used a 6 inch square piece of Papermania Exquisite collection and the wonderful wonderful set of stamps from 7 Gypsies called Victoria I think. I'm looking at the packaging and it's not very clear and it also says (spelling mistakes included) "Intended for childeren over age 13".

I'm glad someone still thinks I'm young enough to be a childeren!

Anyway I first saw these stamps when the lovely Sue Roddis had that altered book shelf project page 34 of the April 2010 Craft Stamper (you know the one with the free cute dog stamp).

I doubt I will ever be able to do grungy art like that but I had to have those stamps!

I used versafine vintage sepia ink and then once it was dry, wiped gesso all over the stamps with my finger and rubbed most of it back off again with a baby wipe. Ooooh I distressed it. (That technique was in a recent Craft Stamper magazine too.)

I backed it with the same paper using Golden regular gel medium for glue and again forgot to sandwich in a clothes hanger between the two.

Of the six dresses I have made so far I have remembered only once to stick the hanger between the front and the back. Only once, grrr.

What is it that they say?

You can teach an old dog to play a banjo but not teach her new tricks.

Well they are wrong! Because I have a new trick for you.

I have found trying to cut with the Fiskars decorative edge scissors nigh on impossible to get a neat finish, but no more!

I stuck a small foam pad to the tip of the bottom blade leaving the paper shield on the top of the foam pad which stops the over cutting, so you can't make a fudge of the pattern.

It works a treat.

Look; here is a picture of my cunning trick.

Click on it to make it bigger.

I feel like I've invented something important like electricity or cheese.

Well that's it.

Hopefully tomorrow Spanky will be presenting her June dress on time.

Happy creating everyone!

Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010 March Spanky does Mardi Gras

Hello Peeps.

The pattern Spanky used was just the basque from this template.
Everything else gets revealed then hidden again as one walks.

Now I did offer to sew some sequins onto some granny knickers for Evangeline to cover her modesty but the pair of them just laughed at me. Just LAUGHED at me.
Evangeline said she would be going commando unless it was really cold and then she would wear a thong for warmth.

I felt obliged to tell her not to come running to me if she catches a cold, but in retrospect I hope that is all she catches. Young people today, I don't know ;-)

Click on the pictures to make them bigger, although that will not make the outfit less skimpy I'm afraid.





At least wearing her mask no one will recognise her by her face.




Just a minute; what have we here, hiding amongst the gowns in progress?

A hottie guy who is obviously lurking about hoping for a sneak peak at Evangeline in her Mardi Gras outfit.



Hmmm looks pretty hauwt, lets have a closer look.



Maybe there IS something to be said for not wearing Granny Knickers after all.

Margaret's Dress Up challenge sure draws in the Stud Muffins as well as the Feed Dogs. (Mwaha)
Did I mention how clever Margaret is?

Happy Creating
Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010 - February

I have tried to go for the romantic Valentine look for February.

Before I started paper crafting last year I mainly sewed and knitted so I wondered if I could make a dress using only wool but not knitting with it nor sewing the yarn down with stitches.
When I showed Himself my efforts the silence was deafening -oh dear - but I like it.




How I made it.

I used 300g/m2 heavy water colour paper which I cut to this template shape.
I painted it with a pale pink metallic acrylic paint.
I don't have any sheets of double sided tape so I used the hi bond tape and stuck strips all around the edges and throughout the middle areas.
I wound two sorts of yarn randomly around the skirt working both yarns at the same time but laid them down separately.
For the bodice I used another yarn and wrapped it around each section in a neat line formation.
The space that was left in the middle I filled with jewels.
I used magic tape to hold the yarn threads on the back of the dress and made another painted pink template to stick over the back to make it look tidy.

I'm not sure with what to glue the back to the front that will work well.
Golden heavy gel medium or white PVA or something else?
Any suggestions would be most welcome thank you!

Happy creating everyone!
Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010 - Spanky does January.

If you want to join in with Margaret's Dress Up 2010 challenges or view the other dresses created for January click here.
Margaret has used Mr Linky and it makes it all SO easy to see everyone's dresses.
Today Margaret is my hero :-)

Now then.
Spanky is a big Lord of the Rings Fan.


She has a bit of a Gimli thing going on.




Now I have told her "Sweetheart, he's gonna dwarf you" but she likes 'em big.





The attraction is in the ginger I think; like calling to like.

These outfits me and her are creating for this year are all for Evangeline.
You can find out about her here.
Her wardrobe is a work in progress because I haven't eaten all the goodies yet from my box of Hotel chocolates, only the best for our Margaret.

After Evangeline's transformation she became windswept and dangerous enough for any outfit anybody cares to make for her anywhere, anyhow, anywhichway.
Not many women can make such a bold claim and stand by it, but Evangeline can.

This month Evangeline is going to be an Ice Queen.

She is the ice to quench Sauron's fire.

Spanky presents

The Shiny Eye of Sauron




I'm amazed Peter Jackson didn't think of it for the film, especially with them having such brilliant costumes....


Remember: All fears can be made Shiny.

Gini
xx

Paper Dresses Template

I have made a template of different styles of dresses to use to join in the Dress Up 2010 Challenge that Margaret is running over at her blog Alice and Camilla. You can find her post giving details of the challenge here.

I have drawn each dress so it will fit onto a 6 inch square piece of designer paper.
Each dress prints at about 5.5 inches high.
If you would like to use the template you are more than welcome.

All you need to do is left click the picture below to make it bigger then right click it, save it to your computer using "save as" and print it out at A4. It will hopefully print the right size, at least it did for me when I tried it.
I suggest you print it onto card, cut the shapes out and use those as templates. Remember to cut to the inside of the black lines so the pieces don't keep getting bigger and bigger.


Happy creating everyone!
Gini
xx