Spotlight Designer- Vinita Jain

Hello All!
Today we have Vinita Jain with us as our Guest Designer! Check out what she has created and more about her! :)

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

     I am from Delhi, a retired Kindergarten teacher, now a successful full-time SHAM. I am blessed with a very supportive family and in-laws. I have two kids,my eldest daughter is 22 years old and my son is 20 years old.  

2. How did you become interested in crafts and what inspired you to start blogging?

    My mom always motivated  me to do lots of craft and art work since my childhood.  I always sent some occasional handmade cards to my relatives. In my school days and even as a teacher, I always decorated the Bulletin Boards with new ideas every month. The feedback and appreciations that i got for my creations motivated to keep my crafting alive. After retirement, I was feeling very bored and searching some punches on Internet and found some interesting theme challenges at International as well as Indian Blogs, which always inspire me to create different things everytime. And my crafting journey started with my blog.

3. What are some of your "go-to" supplies for crafting?

    It is a long list, but my favorites are my Trimmer, Die machine, Distress inks, dies, stamps, scissors and many more.

4. What is your favorite crafting technique?

    I love to play with different watercolor mediums, techniques, embossing powders, paste, sprays and so on.....

5. How would you describe your crafting style?

     I always love to create different style of cards, altered art and Mixed Media Canvasas with bright and bold colors, lots of layers, own handmade flowers and embellishments.

6. How long have you been crafting?

    I started crafting since 2 years back, still learning!

7. My signature style

    Mostly created different style cards with lot of layers and watercoloring with stamping.

8. Who are some of your influences? Who has been your inspiration?

    I follow  lots of talented artists. For cards I highly inspired by Jennifer Mcguire and for Mixed Media Gabriello Pollaco and Rajni Ji.

9. When not crafting , what keeps you busy?

    I love to watch movies, reding books, drawing and sketching.

10. What are you currently working on?

      I am planning to work on a Scrapbooking.

Now time for the tutorial with my Mixed Media creation. 

First of all, I applied heavy gesso on this canvas and leave it to dry.

 Created some textures using modeling paste and clear crackle paint, let it dry. Now, some stamping for textures, tear some layers of a textured white paper, adhered it with mod podge, To create the sea level at the bottom, I glued some tissue papers and cheese clothes using Mod podge.

some close ups

 Adhered some ropes in the circle shape with mod podge, real stones, some jute mesh, a cardboard and applied different inks, sprays.

Some close ups

 Cut away the PP for photo matting and distressed the edges. Tear away the layers of the  cardboard for textures.

Now before matting I arranged my all MDF cogs, clock with textures applying Inka gold, glitter paste, different inks for rusty look. and adhered them on my canvas.

Created a wavy edge at the last bottom layer using the mold and inked it. 

I used a mixture of foliage, gave the look of seaweed, corals at the bottom of the sea using molds and inks. My starfish was shaded with ink and highlighted it. A clock hanged waith a chain and a tiny bottle with a message inside. Now embellished it with lots of different beads, shells, a tiny clock weaven in a rope. some jute flowers, a polka dotted blue flower, MDF sentiment, microbeads, pearls. And at last, an art journaling on a Metal tag.

Hope you all like and enjoyed my crafting style.

Supplies used:
Canvas
Brown Cardboard
PP from Wooden stack pad from Papericious from Lulupu store, Textured cream CS
Artists' gesso from Camel, white Gauge
White Texture embossing paste from Dreamweaver; Clear Crackle paste  from Lulupu store
Bo Bunny Glitter paste- Caribbean, silver
White Linen Dylusion Ink Spray
Peacock Feather Distress ink; Antique Linen Distress stain; Distress inks- Vintage photo, faded jeans, black soot from Lulupu store
Archival Jet Black Ink
Burlap stencil from Tim Holtz; Bubbles stencil from Magenta
Pearl colors from Fevicryl Hobby ideas-
Copper and silver Perfect Pearls
Viva Gold fom Lulupu store
Mat finish Mod Podge from Lulupu store
Stabilo 0.4 fine black pen
Watercolor crayons from Recollections
Jute mesh lace and jute flower from my stash
Mold- Sea creatures and Nature; Milky white Mod podge stick
Polka dotted blue flower from Prima Flowers Strawberry kisses set
And all other elements from my stash

Happy crafting!

Vinita Jain

Sending lots of Love 

Spotlight Designer: Jaya Raghuvanshi - Ken Oliver Liquid Metals Review + video tutorial

Hello and good morning!

This is Nikita here and today I am here to bring to you another amazing post by a talented Guest Designer - Jaya Raghuvanshi and she has a detailed video tutorial for us today using Ken Oliver Color Burst Liquid Metals. We have something interesting for you, so make sure you read all the way till the end so you don't miss it. :D

Most of you might know Jaya as she has been a part of Lulupu's Design Team until recently. So without further ado, I'll let Jaya take over.

---x---x---

Hello everyone!

This is Jaya here today on the Lulupu blog. Hope you all are having a great day. Today I have for you a detailed post on the new Ken Oliver Color Burst Liquid Metals along with a video tutorial on use these on your mixed media projects. Here is the project I made using this product. You will find the video tutorial for the same in the end.

Spotlight Designer: Nikita Azad

Hello Everyone!!!

This month it's all about that sparkle and shine to shine brighten your projects!!! YES, it's the Sparkle and Shine theme this month and I'm very excited as we all love a little sparkle along our way!!

It's time to have another Guest Designer here at Lulupu and this time around we have someone who needs no introduction and yes, she has also been a former DT member and Blog Co-ordinator with Lulupu. We have Nikita Azad making a lovely card for us today. 

Lets checkout a little more about Nikita, before we see what she made for us!

Hello everyone, I am so glad to be back here. :)

1.       Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I live in Mumbai with my husband. I have been crafting since 2011 and loving it. I also love to write and currently, I’m adding finishing touches to my first novel.

2.       How did you become interested in crafts and what inspired you to start blogging?

It started when I bought a Beginner’s Quilling Kit. To learn more about Quilling, I followed many crafter blogs and accidently stumbled upon card-makers and scrapbookers. Lulupu (then known as the Crafting Queen Store) was my first shopping stop for craft supplies in India.

As far as blogging is concerned, I started blogging in 2009, but it was more of a diary. I wrote about my experiences, a few short stories and poems. So I knew what blogging was. I started my craft blog in 2012 (or ’11, I don’t remember exactly) but I didn’t post there regularly until 2013.

3.       What are some of your "go-to" supplies for crafting?

Sew Easy tool and Washi Tapes. Ironically, I have used neither in this project. Die cuts are my new favourites too.

4.       What is your favorite crafting technique?

I love layering and Stitching.

5.       How would you describe your crafting style?

This is the question I am most afraid of, because I don’t have a clear answer for this :P

I would say my style is a mixture of a couple of things because even though I don’t do multiple layers and shabby chic, it’s not completely CAS too. Now you all decide what you want to call that ;)

6.       How long have you been crafting?

I first started crafting in 2011. I took a break last year around June to finish my book and have been crafting since February this year again. :)

7.       My signature style

I have no signature style because I mix a lot of styles in my work. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

8.       Who are some of your influences? Who has been your inspiration?

When I started out, I watched a lot of videos by Gina K, Kristina Werner and Stephanie Barnard. So even though my style is nothing like theirs, I did learn a lot from them. And then there are our fellow Indian crafters, all of them, who influence your work in some way or another because even though you don’t consciously remember, somewhere, something you’ve seen does inspire you to make something of your own.

9.       When not crafting , what keeps you busy?

I write, I read, I binge watch TV (if I’m not sleeping) and I sleep. And if I still have some time left, I manage to do some housework too.

10.   What are you currently working on?

On the crafting side, I am currently mostly on DT commitments. Other than that, I am working on Query Letters to send to Literary Agents who will find me a publisher. *fingers crossed*

Today, I have a nice little card and a quick video (yes, video!) for you. Here’s what I have made.

In the video, I have focussed on using UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) and Twinklets Diamond Dust.

For more sparkle and shine, I have used glittered brads..

...and sequins
...and stickles glitter :)

Here are some more pictures

Here’s the video

That’s all I have for you all now! I hope you found the video useful (and the card inspiring :P)

Thank you so much for having me here. It’s always such fun.

Until next time!

Love,

Nikita.

That was one awesome card!! Thank you for joining us here today and Glad to know a little more about you!

Happy Crafting!
Manu

Spotlight Designer - Riswana Fathima

Hello Everyone!!!

I'm sure that this months theme is giving you the edge to think about all those sparkly and shiny things you would like to incorporate in your projects and make then dazzle with shine!! Well, it's all about shine and sparkle this month.. right!!!

We have a very talented crafts person at our blog today and she's a lot regular in our challenges, Please welcome - Riswana

Hi crafty friends.. I'm very much delighted to be here amongst you. Thank you so much Team Lulupu for giving this wonderful opportunity of being a guest designer..

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

  I live in the district of Thirunelveli, TamilNadu, the southernmost part of our country.. I've completed M.B.B.S and started working in a nearby government hospital 6 months back.. 

Still single and happily enjoying life, doing things I love :)

2. How did you become interested in crafts and what inspired you to start blogging?

  Art has always been an essential part of my life for as long as I can remember.. 

When it comes to paper crafts, I got very much interested after watching videos of Vicky Papioannou's art jounal layouts & Gabrielle Pollacco's mixed media works.

When i was searching online for craft supplies stores in India i stumbled upon Dr.Sonia's blog & it opened the whole new world of blogging to me..

Her blog is a treasure of information for any crafter...

3. What are some of your "go-to" supplies for crafting?

       There are lots.. I use my trim&score board, distress inks, waterbrush, embossing powders, stamps & fineliner pens quite often..

4. What is your favorite crafting technique?

     I always like to learn and explore new techniques..I give a try with many of them from CAS cards to mixed media altered art projects.. Art journalling has been my most favourite part of crafting so far..

5. How would you describe your crafting style?

       I love to sketch and draw & i always try to incorporate that in my works wherever possible.. I usually make a basic plan before I begin any project & try to work according to that.. But many a times I get carried away and end up with something totally different :)

6. How long have you been crafting?

         I've always been crafting in some way or other since childhood..  Paper crafting started a year back..

7. My signature style

          Haven't settled down to one yet. Still experimenting & in the quest of finding my own style.

8. Who are some of your influences? Who has been your inspiration?

        There are many awesome people who have been a great source of inspiration to me. My grandmother has been the first big influence.. We share the passion for crafts & her curiosity to learn new things even now always amazes me..

I'm addicted to watching youtube videos on arts & crafts.. Vicky Papioannou, Gabrielle Pollacco, Kristina Werner, Jeniffer Mcguire, Nichol Magouirk, Sandy Allnock, Nika in Wondeland,Tim Holtz, Mark Crilley, Vamos Art to name a few..

9. When not crafting , what keeps you busy?

     Work mostly.. Also, We are kinda a mini joint family, so there will always be many people around & time just flies by :)

I love to hangout with friends, Travel & photography when I do find the time.

10. What are you currently working on?

           Am working on my new project "1 image N techniques" wherein I'm trying to approach the same image with different colouring techniques. Quite excited about it :)

Here's another fun altered art project i made :)

It started with an empty conditioner bottle ;) 

I covered the whole bottle with scraps from a very old novel ( I got a set of 5 books for 5 rupees in Pondicherry!!) With mixture of equal amounts of PVA glue(i used fevicol) and water.. I find foam brush works best for this..

Then wound a packaging hemp twine around the neck of the bottle giving a good coat of glue to avoid frizziness & seal all the fibres in.. I added gesso randomly over the surface.

I used Dylusions paint (vibrant turquoise, fresh lime) to paint the bottle in random patterns blending all the way with a wet baby wipe.. Added some white gesso splashes.

Did some random stamping With kaisercraft texture stamps (faded dots, geo) & also the sentiment from Inkadinkado stampset with black archival ink..

Gave a coat of Mod podge gloss to seal the whole surface & to add that little shine..

For the embellishments, i made the flowers using the paper from the same old book following the classical paper flower making technique.. Inked on both sides of paper using distress inks (mowed lawn, broken china, peacock feathers) applied gel medium (camlin) to seal the ink..Then Cut a spiral out of it with Faber castell scalloped edge scissors & rolled into a flower..

Added a twin bow made of the hemp twine & a metal charm..

The big flower is made out of Papericious Teal Steal patterned paper collection with WRMK flower punch board.. (XS & XXS size) secured with a brad.. For the stem, Stuck green tape around a bendable wire & attached the loop to the brad.

 . Hence the flower sways beautifully which formed the inspiration behind the quote "Dance to your own music" :D

I hope you liked it & the steps were of some help :) I would be glad to hear ur thoughts on this :)

Thanks again for the chance..

Create. Have fun.

Wow, that was one awesome transformation!!! loved the altered look and feel of the complete bottle!! Thank you for sharing your lovely creation with us.

Do remember to enter into our current challenge here

Happy Crafting!

Manu

Spotlight Designer - Zalak Amarendra Kumar

Good morning & a very happy Monday to all!

Today we have a very talented crafter over at our blog, who plays along our challenges regularly. She has a post packed with information & also a video for us. Please welcome Zalak - 

First of all i really want to Thank you for giving me this opportunity to design and show some of my creativity through your blog.

I hope you will really enjoy and like my tutorial. So lets get start.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I am from an Ahmedabad city, graduate with Computer Application Degree. Was a working woman but now a successful housewife. I am blessed with a very supportive family and in-laws too. Wife to a Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and we have one cute little daughter, she one and half year old and let me tell you she is so much curious to do work with me when i experiment with my tools, and finally she mess all my craft area.

2. How did you become interested in crafts and what inspired you to start blogging?

As you know every child is in someway an artist but i got this gift from my dad as he is a painter and now he is a Studio Designer. So i used to do sketches, painting. I was also rewarded in intermediate level painting. And then now after marriage we have shifted to other city and i found much time to involve in my hobbies again so i started making cards for my husband and he encouraged me a lot so i slowly learnt much more by practicing varieties of cards to bring my own emotions of love, affection and best of my thoughts in cards.

About blogging, i started when many of my family members liked and then i went online to see how much my creation get response and i was amazed with it. People loved it and encouraged me for more craft ideas and techniques.

3. What are some of your "go-to" supplies for crafting?

Oh its a long list but most of them are My trim and score board, Envelope board, pair of scissors, and of course my favorite pen and pencil.

4. What is your favorite crafting technique?

Quilling is my first start towards crafting but once you start and experiment with watercolors, inks, embossing paste and powder etc...then you just cant stop yourself for more and more of these.

5. How would you describe your crafting style?

My crafting style is i want my project to be simple with detailed and perfect work.

6. How long have you been crafting?

There has always been some short of crafting i have been doing so cant say exactly.

7. My signature style

Different style of cards where you can put your emotions and feelings together.

8. Who are some of your influences? Who has been your inspiration?

I have a long list but first two are my dad and a loving husband. I follow lot of artist few are Jennifer McGuire, chari moss, Brandy cox and many more. and husband.

9. When not crafting , what keeps you busy?

When not crafting i am fully dedicated to my daughter.

10. What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on twist of watercolor and embossing techniques.

That's all about me. 

Lets get start with the tutorial i have made for you guys. Hope you enjoy.

Tutorial:

Today I am sharing a beautiful card on this month challenge theme. As you all heard about Explosion box so i have just tried my hands with little bit techniques of embossing and a explosion card. Yes…. You heard right i am sharing an Explosion card with embossing techniques. So here you go…

At first glance you might think this is a simple card. Well that’s the plan so that once its opened you get a surprise  when it folds out.

You get some idea of the exploding part from the above picture.

This is almost fully opened. Its a one layer wonder inside so that it fold easily.

Another view. It really is very simple to make. The actual folding part is very quick to do and how long you spend making it would depend completely on how detailed you wanted to make the design inside or out.

So here are few base steps to make this card.

Step 1: you will need one 8 1/2 square white paper (i have used watercolor paper, you can use as per your project), one 10×5 inches cardstock and fold in half, and one 5×5 inch cardstock (again i have used watercolor paper to use embossing technique)

Step 2: for embossing technique

I have used small pattern rubber stamp, first stamp it with versamark ink and then apply clear embossing powder on it, you can tap back side of paper to remove excess powder. Then you need to melt embossing powder with heat gun, once it melts you can apply any Distress Ink (i have used pickled raspberry). Then here comes the fun part, take your mister and mix some perfect pearl powder in it and shake well to mix it properly, then spray on cardstock as many times you want (i sprayed it at least 10 times and when it still wet i took dry tissue paper and dab it some spots to remove ink). Now it times to wait till it dry. Please note at this time do not use your heat gun to dry ink fast as it may start melting your embossing powder.

Steps 2.1: (optional, but i think you should try) when ink completely dry you can take your iron, put your cardstock in between of two blank A4 paper and just iron your card at least 2-3 times by changing upper A4 paper, it will start melting your powder, remove excessive ink and it will shine as we have used perfect pearl.

Step 3: for explosion card

Now take your 8 1/2 square paper. Design your card (i have design it as per this month challenge theme with watercolor and distress ink). Once you satisfied with your project, its time to convert it into explosion. Follow below image.

Image says (1,2) fold your card diagonally so you will get X shape card. (3) flip your card, your card should facing back side up. Now take your card and fold it like down to up side, so you will get X shape with horizontal line. (4) open all flaps, now you have your card in a square shape with X and horizontal lines. (5) when you fold your card (design facing top side) you will see it will automatically fold and gives you upside down triangle 🔻.  (6) you need to take ruler and mark at 4 1/4 both sides. (7) now pay attention, take your triangle right side  corner and fold outside till you mark. Same you do it for left side also. (8) follow step 7. (9) now open all small triangles which u just folded and fold other side (i.e inside). And open it too. Now you are back with upside down triangle but with folded vertical lines. (10) now push all small triangles inside and secure it with bone folder. And here you go your explosion card fold is ready. You can see video for more clarification.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5aSSLD29FQ

Step 4: Now you can decorate it with embellishments. Always decorate after folds because now you can see where to put embellishments. (i have not decorate it with more embellishments as i want to highlight my theme.)

Step 5: adhere it to your 10×5 inch flip top card. Adhere it from where your card folds like below image.

And your explosion card is ready. You can add as much detail or keep it as casual as you like. I hope I’ve inspired you to give this a try, it makes a really fun card.

Thanks for looking.

handmade Cards by ZALAK 

handmadecardsbyzalak@gmail.com

Thank you so much Zalak for sharing so many techniques with us!

Remember you still have time to enter the current challenge - BABY - A little bit of heaven.

Cheers,

Tanvi