My first attempt at distressing

Hello everyone

While I was frantically trying to get my family history book finished in time for Easter, I had to also think about a birthday present for my son's partner, whose birthday was on 17 March.  I have already blogged the card I made for her but as I didn't actually give her her birthday present until they came to stay at Easter, and the fact that I was still trying to finish it the evening before they arrived, I have waited until now to post it.

I bought a couple of little cardboard cases from Crafters Companion a short while ago, one of them specifically to give to Gillian.  I decided to distress it but have never tried this technique before.  The result was one extremely distressed case!  The clear pva glue was very runny so I didn't add any water to it but think perhaps I should have done, so will do next time I try this technique.

The picture is Gizmo, their little dog.  And the other side

I sanded it lightly around the edges and then added some distress ink (think it was tea dye) because I felt the finish was too white.

Inside the case I put a cross stitch pattern that I made using Jane Greenoff's programme iStitch and the aida and threads.  The pattern was made from a photograph of Gizmo which I altered in Craft Artist Professional before turning it into the pattern.

This is the original photograph

And after editing it in Craft Artist, this is the one I used to produce the pattern

I am pleased to say that Gillian loved her present, and I have another case to work on to make another present for someone else so perhaps it won't be quite so distressed next time.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Catherine x