Happy 2013 :-)

Dear blog readers,

I am taking 5 minutes to share my heartfelt wishes for the new year, hoping that will be better, more creative, more productive and happier than the previous!

So,
thanks for your support and the wonderful comments (here, flickr, fb, HA blog)!

Happy New Blessed 2013 to you !!!

And of course, I cannot end this post without sharing a card!

Thanks for stopping by!
George

MY TOP 10 CRAFT SUPPLIES FOR 2012

Hi readers!
Today, as this year is coming to the end, I decided to share my top 10 craft products for 2012!
Here we go!

10-BUTTONS
Buttons are a huge addiction of mine. I like them on cards, frames, altered projects ... on everything!
And here are some of my favorites!


etsy.com also carries a huge variety of buttons !

9 - PEARLS AND GEMS
These can be scattered around a card to create a nice effect, I can say that I use them quite often...
I like use the self-adhesive, but I also like to use the Anita's ones that come in a million of colors and sizes and you can adhere with a tiny dot of glossy accents!


8 - BAKER'S TWINE
Nice addition to every project. Doodlebug twines are my faves, but Queen & Co also makes nice twines - in the most wonderful colors!

etsy.com also carries a huge variety of twines!



7 - FISKARS STAMP PRESS
A really nice tool that can give you great stamp images with precision due to its foam feet...with gridlines so can really help to line up stamped images!

6 - HERO ARTS SHADOW INKS
All of them are great! Crisp images that smooth out as they dry, ideal for bold stamped images and backgrounds!
All of their colors are great! A must have!

5 - GLOSSY ACCENTS
This is the must have adhesive. It can adhere EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE !



4 - DIES 
What can I say about dies! Such a great investment, versatile and you can use them over and over again...
Some of my very faves are the bigz dies and the wafer thin dies (Sizzix and Memory box).

3 - SIZZIX BIG SHOT
The best die cutting machine ever!


2 - DISTRESS INKS/STAINS
Distress Inks are addictive! You know it?
These inks with water do really fun things, a truly artistic result is what you get every time you use them. There are many many techniques out there and they are a really good investment. In 2012 I finally completed the full collection!
Stains are the liquid form of these inks. I personally love the white picket fence and the metallics that came out few months ago...!



1 - HERO ARTS STAMPS
My number one for 2012 is Hero Arts stamps! Why?
Fabulous designs, great quality, hundreds of techniques involve stamps! Need more?
These are my favorite designs - can't get enough! And their new 2013 catalogue is fantastic - I am still waiting my order to arrive...
Also, the stamp and die combos are fantastic right?

Anyways, thanks for visiting!
Have a happy, creative and joyful 2013!

George Panayiotou

Merry Christmas :-)

Merry Christmas everyone !!!!

Just a quick share, a christmas tree ornament I made few days ago... 
I love the Caged bird Sizzix bigz die from Tim Holtz, with which I cut a piece of chipboard covered with fabric!
The bird was cut from grungeboard - I like how distress inks work with it so well. So after I inked the bird with broken china, peacock feathers and salty ocean, I added some touches of walnut stain around the edges. After was completely dry, I applied a THICK layer of clear rock candy distress crackle paint and let it dry on its own. To intensify the cracks, I went over with a blending tool and some walnut stain distress ink...
The back of the birdcage is covered with a piece of acetate, stamped with white Stazon Ink.
Simple, even though it needs some time to put it together is totally worth it :-)

And here is another one - in red ! The cage was covered with vintage book paper - and lightly inked with brushed pewter distress stain - nice metallic effect! Here the bird was inked with festive berries and fired brick distress inks !

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

George x

HeroArts contest - November Round 2 - Fab5 again:-)

Hi readers!
I am happy! And winning for 3rd time on HeroArts monthly contest is more than I expect!
Here is my card for November round 2 winners ! Hope you like it :-)
Congratulations to all winners - check them out HERE !

Cu soon!
Love, George

Happy World Cardmaking Day !

Hello creative people!

I am sharing today a card I made, celebrating the World Cardmaking Day, today 6/10 !
I decided to use some new favorites, like the air vent die from SSS, new papers from Echo Park, and Hero Arts stamps (as always) !!!

The sentiment was printed on some patterned paper of the same collection!

Happy World Cardmaking Day everyone and don's stop creating, inspire and be inspired!

George