Cleaning Clair

This is my first card that I made as a member of the design team from 'Angels Hearts and Memories' with her new digi-stamp: 'Cleaning Clair'. you can buy her here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Angelsheartsnmem

- I made this card using:
* the digi-stamp 'Cleaning Clair'
* white cardstock
* light blue cardstock
* dark dark blue cardstock
* promarker: blush (0729)
* twinmarkers:
- wine red (1)
- cherry pink (5)
- coral red (12)
- vermillior (14)
- merigold (24)
- cream (36)
- grass green (44)
- pastel green (49)
- cobalt blue (71)
- sky blue (76)
- chocolate (92)
- brick brown (94)
- rose beige (97)
- pale blue light (185)
- green grey (GG3 + GG7) 
* light blue ink
* 1mm 3D-dots
* double-sided gluestrip
* cookie-shaped die
* border die
* wink-a-stella clear pen
 
- how I made it:
* first printed 'Cleaning Clair' out on white cardstock and colored her with my markers
* then I cut her out with a cookie-shaped die, embossed and went around the inside of the die with a light blue ink and sponge
* cut out  borders in the dark blue cardstock and glued them to the backside of my print
* mounted that all with 3D-dots onto my light blue card base
* finished it off with some wink-a-stella clear on her eyes, lips, brushes and the water in the bucket

Shades of Red

- I made this card using:
* stamps from GinaK.
* white cardstock
* red cardstock
* 2 kinds of designer paper
* aqua color pencils (only red and green)
* aqua brush
* wink a stella clear glitter
* 2mm 3D-dots
* tape-runner
* 2 heart-shaped dies
* 2 corner punche
* post-it-note


- how I made it:
* first stamped 1 rose and a mask of it on a post-it-note
* then I stamped the other rose and rosebuds using the mask
* then I stamped the stems and leaves
* colored the roses, rosebuds, stems and leaves with the aqua pencils and aqua brush
* cut the roses out with a heart-shaped die, a piece of red cardstock with an other heart-shaped die en glued them together with taperunner
* folded the red card-base and cut the corners
* used the same corner punches on the DP and glued it onto the card-base
* used 3D-dots to put the hearts on the card and finished it of with some glitter on the roses and rosebuds

How to make a shell-top

1. get all the materials and tools you'll need together:

* stretch-fabric for the outside and the inside of the shells
* a set of 2 plastic shells that covers your boobies
* craft-glue, that once it's cured, don't dissolves in water
* hot-glue-gun and matching glue-sticks
* sewing-threat that matches you fabric
* a sewing-needle
* sewing-pins
* fabric-scissors
* craft-knife
* 3cm-wide ribbon that matches you fabric
* 3cm-wide ribbon that matches your skin-tone (if needed)
* big pearls or a piece of ribbon the connect the 2 shells
* sequence or other stuff to decorate your top

2. get your shells and separate them if needed using your craft-knife.

3. lay 1 shell on the fabric for the outside and cut it around the shell. do the same for the other shell and also with the fabric for the inside. you need 4 pieces of fabric in total.

4. put a lot of craft-glue all over 1 of the shells. put the fabric for the outside onto the glue and push it down while stretching out the creases. push down the fabric into the groves of the shell using your fingers and a bone-folder (or a pen without ink) if needed. do that to both shells. let them dry.

5. turn over the shells and pull the fabric to the outside. put some hot-glue on the straight side of the shell and stretch the fabric over the glue. cut down the excess fabric. do that to both the shells.

 6. do the same to the rim of both shells.

7. put some dots of hot-glue in the middle of the shell and put the fabric for the inside onto it. see that there is a lot of fabric all over and around the shell. push it down into the glue. cut fabric about 2 cm under the rim of the shell and fold that to the inside. pin it down in place. then sew around the rim to keep it all nice and smooth. do that to both the shells.

 8. now it's time to decorate the outside of your shells.

9. see on the shell is where you want to connect them in the middle. then sew some ribbon or the big pearls at that place.

10. take 2 pieces of the matching ribbon, about 1 meter long each. cut 1 end at an angle and fold the other site 2 times over itself. sew that down and on the right place on the inside of your shell. do that also to the other side of your shell-top.

11. if needed put some skin-colored ribbon on the top part of the shells so that goes around your neck and keep everything in place.

 12. there are 3 ways to put your shells.

How to make a mermaidtail

there are 2 ways to make a kids-play-tail: 1: only for in the water and 2: so the child can walk, play and dance with it. let's make the fake-monofin first, but you can use a real one if you like. then you can skip those steps about making one. this tutorial is also easy to adapt to make a tail for grown-ups.

1. first look for all the materials and tools you'll need:
* a cheat of PVC that's about 2 mm thick (any color can be used)
* patron paper
* piece of non-fraying fabric big enough to coat both sides of your monofin
* contact-glue like BisonKit
* alcohol marker
* protection for your table
* strong scissors
* old but sharp scissors
* fabric scissors
* old paintbrushes and spatulas
* incenses-sticks
* stretch fabric to make the tail from (best is 4-way-stretch)
* for tail 2: a matching plastic zipper
* cord (longer than the waist)
* special bead like they use with sweaters
* if you like some ribbons, sequences or other fabrics to decorate your tail
* matching sewing threat

2. draw your patron (half of it) for your monofin on the paper and cut it out. draw it again but add 1cm seam-allowens and cut it, this will make the patron for your fluke.

 

 

3. put the patron without the seam-allowens onto the PVC-cheat (with the protection-foil still on it on both sides). draw the first half around the paper with the alcohol marker, flip the paper and draw the second half.

4. cut the shape with the strong scissors and remove the protection-foil from both sides.

5. now we're going to work with the glue, so protect your table. I use 3 silicone baking-cheats that are easy to clean and re-use. now you cover 1 side of the PVC with the glue. spread out very well with 1 of your spatulas. before the glue is totally dry, put a piece of non-fray-fabric (leftover from the tail) over it. smooth it out very well and push it down with your fingers.

6. now you cut (with the old scissors) the edge of the fabric about 2 cm from the edge of the PVC. then give little cuts in the fabric towards the PVC every 2 cm. this way you can easily fold over the fabric to glue it down. to glue it, add some glue to those little tabs and on the edge of the cheat.

7. now to cover up the other side of the monofin. again cover the cheat with the glue and some extra on the edges. put your second piece of non-fray-fabric on top of the glue and smooth out. cut of the excess of the fabric so the edges are nice and smooth. now your 'monofin' is done.

8. let's first make the tail that can only be used in the water. I made it into an Ariel-tail, so I used some extra green organza. to make the body, you have to draw the patron according the measurements of the child (mine is for a child that is 5 years). add 1cm seam-allowens to the outside of your patron. also take the patron of your fluke.

9. cut the patron of the body out of your fabric for the tail. just fold over a little edge for the front-part.

 

 

 

10. also cut the part for your fluke twice out of the fabric and the organza. my organza wasn't wide enough to cut only 2 pieces, so I've cut 4 half flukes. also cut a strip of organza a little lager than the waist if you like hipfins like Ariel's.

11. let's work on the organza for now. protect your table again and take some incenses-sticks (you don't use very much), special plate to hold it and a lighter. light the stick and blow out the flame. run the organza aside the glowing end of the stick at about 1 mm distance to meld the edge of the organza. do this outside or with an open window as it stinks.

 

12. stitching time now. if your machine has a strait stretch-stitch, then use that. if not, put the settings at a very long and narrow rig-rag-stitch. put the right color of treat onto your machine.

13. pin the 2 fluke-parts, right side in, to each other. also do this with the organza fluke. then sew at 1cm from the edge all around the fluke, leaving to top open.

14. cut little slits in the outside of the fabric (not the organza). turn the fluke right-side out and add your monofin.

 

15. pin the organza-fluke over the fabric one and sew the op by hand. if yours is also 4 parts, then also sew down the end of the fluke, so everything stays nice and together.

 

16. now to work on the body of your tail. pin the 2 long sides, right side in, together and sew it at 1cm of the edge.

17. fold over the top of the body (waist) about 2 cm to the inside. add 2 loops of ribbon to the side-seams, to hang your tail later when it's done. then sew on the edge of the fabric, but leave 2 cm open at the back.

18. as I like to add a waistfin to my tail, we work on that now. take the long piece of organza and fold it double lengthwise, pin it and sew it at 1 cm from the edge.

19. fold the organza double again so you got a big loop. pin and stitch on 1 cm from the edge.

20. pin this piece on the inside of the waist and sew it while stretch the body-fabric. by doing this the organza will gather and stretch when putting the tail on. also leave about 2 cm open at the same place in the back.

21. gather the front part of the waistfin and sew it down under the waist.

22. now take a special needle or safety-pin, the cord and the special bead. with the use of the needle of safety-pin pull the cord through the tunnel at the waist. then pull your cord through the hole(s) of your bead. make a 8-knot at each end of the cord.

23. now the top is done, let's work on the bottom. fold the edges of both points 1 cm to the inside of the fabric and pin it.

24. pin both points at it's place on the fluke (without pinning the monofin). do this at both side at once. the you hand-sew those edges. you can decorate them if you like by using a ribbon or sequences.

25. to put the tail on easy, sew the fluke on the inside toe the side seams of the body and your tail is done.

26. now we are going to work on the 'dry-tail'. to make the body, you have to draw the patron according the measurements of the child (mine is for a child that is 5 years). add 1cm seam-allowens to the outside of your patron. also take the patron of your fluke.

27. cut the patron of the body out of your fabric for the tail. just fold over a little edge for the front-part. as we need a split at the backside (where the ankles are), we need to cut the back-part in 2 parts.

28. also cut the part for your fluke twice out of the fabric.

29. stitching time now. if your machine has a strait stretch-stitch, then use that. if not, put the settings at a very long and narrow rig-rag-stitch. put the right color of threat onto your machine.

30. pin the 2 fluke-parts, right side in, to each other. then sew at 1cm from the edge all around the fluke, leaving to top open.

31. cut little slits in the outside of the fabric. turn the fluke right-side out and add your monofin.

32. now to work on the body of your tail. fold the 2 short edges of the back-part 1 cm to the inside, pin and sew.

33. pin the 2 long sides, right side in, together. put the zipper at the side where it will be later on. and sew the longest side at 1cm of the edge and the other side until a little past the zipper.

34. now to put the zipper into it's place. to do this we're using a special zipper-piece for your machine and put the needle all to the right. fold the fabric to the inside and pin. pin the zipper in place, with the open side to the fluke. use a contrast threat to hand-sew the zipper in place with a 'big' up-and-down stitch. now you can sew your zipper with your machine and remove the contrast threat.

 

35. fold over the top of the body (waist) about 2 cm to the inside. add 2 loops of ribbon to the side-seams, to hang your tail later when it's done. then sew on the edge of the fabric, but leave 2 cm open at the back.

36. now take a special needle or safety-pin, the cord and the special bead. with the use of the needle of safety-pin pull the cord through the tunnel at the waist. then pull your cord through the hole(s) of your bead. make a 8-knot at each end of the cord.































37. now the top is done, let's work on the bottom. fold the edges of both points 1 cm to the inside of the fabric and pin it.

38. pin both points at it's place on the fluke (without pinning the monofin). do this at both side at once. the you hand-sew those edges. you can decorate them if you like by using a ribbon or sequences.


 






















































39. to put the tail on easy, sew the fluke on the inside to the side seams of the body and to the top of your split and your tail is done.