Hochanda

This wooden board, with a hole for hanging - is painted with two colours and decorated with a pattern in a third colour, using a template and Chalky Vintage Look paint. When dry, the board is sanded with sand paper to achieve a worn and rustic look. Make sure you don't miss the Creativ Inspirations shows with Jill Albas this coming Tuesday, 29th November for three creative hours, here's a sneak peek of what's to come... Step 1 Apply two coats of mauve Chalky Vintage Look paint. Leave to dry between each application. Step 2 Apply another two or three coats of white Chalky Vintage Look paint. Leave to dry between each application. Step 3 Make the pattern: Attach the template onto the wooden board using masking tape. Step 4 Apply light green Chalky Vintage Look paint with a paint roller. Apply two (2) coats and leave to dry between each application. Remove the template. NB: Do not saturate the paint roller with too much paint as the paint mig...

This woven basket is made on a wooden basket weaving template with pre-drilled holes and flower sticks, which have been shortened for this purpose. The weaving is made from twisted sea grass cord in two colours. Step 1 Shorten the flower sticks to the desired length. Use a mitre cutter. Then use the hammer to hammer a flower stick into each of the pre-drilled holes on the wooden basket weaving template. Step 2 Attach the sea grass cord onto the base and the inside of any flower stick using a blob of glue applied with a glue gun. Now weave in and out of each flower stick. Step 3 If you wish to change the colour, cut the sea grass cord when finishing a round and attach a new cord at the end of the previous one with a blob of glue. Use a glue gun. Step 4 NB: As the weaving progresses, gently tap on the sea grass cord with a hammer between each flower stick for a tight weave. Step 5 Finish the basket with a plaited water lily cord. This cord is fla...

We're thrilled that Nikki Killinger is back at Hochanda HQ next week - we loved this stunning, shabby chic key cabinet from Creativ Company so much we asked them for a step-by-step project, so you can create them too! Nikki is live on Hochanda this Tuesday 1st November at 10am, 1pm and 5pm.  Step 1 Paint the key cabinet with Chalky Vintage Look paint (1 of 2 colours in the process) two or three times. NB: light colours = several coats. Leave to dry between each coat. Step 2 Paint the wooden key cabinet once with the other of the two colours in the process. Leave to dry. Step 3 Paint the outside of the key cabinet with the other of the two colours in the process. Leave to dry. In order to achieve the slightly worn look, sand with 80 grit sand paper. Step 4 Apply wax at the end. This provides a lovely finish and protects against damp, allowing the key cabinet to be wiped with a damp cloth. You can watch Hochanda live  onlin...

Ahoy there! Today I want to share a project with you from the Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Ship Mates that will be featured on the Sizzix show on 27th October. I am looking forward to bringing you some of your favourite dies. Nautical themed projects are currently very popular and so I have designed a card that would also make a lovely picture for a home decor project. Step 1 Trim 3 layers of cardstock, slightly smaller than the card blank. Step 2 Die cut a circle into the centre of the white panel and create a circle frame so that the aperture is the same size as the one in the white panel. Step 3 Trim a light blue panel and adhere a strip of dark blue. Step 4 Adhere the blue panel behind the aperture using 3D foam pads.  Attach all the layers together and adhere the frame to the front. Step 5 Die cut the boat, wheel and anchor and adhere to the card.  Add adhesive stones to embellish. With dies like this you can allow...

We’re bringing another, brand new supplier to your screens this Wednesday, 26th September! Let us introduce to you Colourist… Colourist Heat Transfer Paints are a unique range of heat transfer paints. They are applied to ordinary paper and printed onto a wide range of items using an iron or a heat press. There are 35 colours in the range including all the primary colours plus different reds, blues and browns and some really brilliant colours such as Hot Pink. The paints were originally developed for professional fabric designers but have become increasingly popular with crafters who are discovering the versatility of the paints. Unlike ordinary fabric paints, Colourist paints do not sit on the surface of the printed item, they are absorbed into it giving a professional, colourfast finish. The printing process is easy and quick and once printed the items are ready to use and washable! How great is that! On the first Hochanda shows you can look forward to demonstrations gi...

As the spookiest day of the year is fast approaching, now is the perfect time to start thinking about your decorations! Why not get crafty with a pumpkin that you can use again and again? Here's a simple step-by-step project using the fabulous products from Creativ Company! Step 1 Paint one half of the pumpkin either with green or orange Plus Color (enabling you to hold on to a non-painted area). Here we have started with Eucalyptus green. Step 2 Paint orange Plus Color on top of the first layer of green paint on one side of the pumpkin (wet on wet) using an almost dry brush. You may smooth the paint with a little water on the brush. Then paint the other side of the pumpkin using the same procedure. Step 3  You may apply another coat of paint on top (a thin green coat of paint). The orange colour should still be visible. Step 4 Using a pointed brush, paint the grooves of the pumpkin with a mixture of the following Plus Color colours; ch...

Helen from The Decorating Centre is back with us this Saturday, demonstrating the fabulous Rust-Oleum range. From the Mini's Upcycling Kit, perfect for upcycling beginners, to individual paints, waxes and brushes, join Helen this Saturday at 11am and 3pm for tonnes of inspiration, top tips and techniques!  Many people think upcycling is just about the shabby chic style, flat matte finish, distressing and only for people transforming furniture around the home. Whilst it is all of those things it’s also so much more! For anyone that thinks shabby chic isn’t their style, or that they prefer bold colours and a sheen finish over a distressed one I’ve pulled together my favourite upcycling techniques to show you just how much more it is! 1. Distressing We had to discuss this one first as it’s the most common technique but it really is so satisfying and can be done in so many ways! You can distress your coat of paint back to the original finish underneath for an aged look, apply...

Get the perfect centrepiece this Christmas with this beautiful, unique countdown advent using steel wool and stars woven from Vivi Gade paper star strips from the Creativ Company. Four white pillar candles, each decorated with zinc tags with punched out numbers, are fixed onto candle holders with a point and pushed into the wreath. The wreath is decorated further with small transparent glass Christmas baubles. Step 1 Cover the wreath with steel wool. Attach with silver plated wire.  Step 2 Weave 24 small stars using the narrow paper star strips and 4 large stars using the wide paper star strips. Follow the instructions printed on the back of the packaging of the paper star strips. NB: Weave the large stars with only upstanding points on one side. Step 3 Attach four wide paper star strips around the wreath using a glue gun. Attach the four large stars onto the wreath. Push the four candle holders with points into the wreath between each...

Hello there … I am really excited for my upcoming Sizzix shows on Hochanda on the 9th September as I know you are going to love these dies as much as I do. The whole show has a Tim Holtz theme with a selection of dies that are going to inspire you to create beautiful projects.  As soon as I got these the inspiration and ideas just flowed. Would you like a sneak peak? We have several sets coming up which all compliment each other beautifully. Let’s start with the Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Tropical by Tim Holtz. It is a set of 8 dies that compliment each other beautifully.   They can be used with inks, paints or patterned papers to create stunning projects. I think my favorite die in the set is the palm tree which I know I will use time and time again. They work for simple cards to the most detailed projects and are also great for home decor items. The leaves in the set are perfect for complimenting your cards or adding a bit of green behind flowers. ...