More play with gels and sprays

Last week I didn't have time to create a new make for the Paper Artsy challenge using the Paua shell effect technique. The Craft Barn challenge is about sprays this week which I took as a sign...

I used both traditional texture paste and the transparent texture paste from Ranger (in lieu of 3D gel medium) with my stencils and this worked as the micas in my sprays were grabbed quite efficiently by the gel as can be seen in this picture:

I chose my stencils and stamps for their circular motifs with a theme of stained glass.

Thanks for coming by,

 Also entering the We Love 2 Create challenge.

Make a wish

Lavinia challenges us to Anything but a card and I decided on a tag cut from some Kraft cardstock. I applied some gesso roughly before stamping 2 of the Lavinia Dandelions.

Like in this project I used micro-glaze as my stamping medium before sprinkling Brusho powder in Ultramarine, my favourite colour, a purply blue. The way Brushos disperse in water reminded me of blowing dandelions heads which led to my faerie doing just that!

I added a hand penned sentiment using watercolour, fancy ribbons and gelatos around the tag to darken the corners.

I also added some Copic Spica shimmer pen in clear on the wings of the faerie and upwards from the blown dandelion head, although with my almost empty pen it's difficult to see....













Thanks for coming by,

Also entering  the Live and Lovecrafts, That Craft Place and Lisa.B.Designs challenges.

memories

I have been trying to muster enthusiasm to start on a few scrapbooking pages and had a look through my existing layouts (it usually works...) and found this one that just didn't work.

The background had been stamped, embossed with clear powder for a resist effect, sprayed and foiled...
Fortunately, because these are vintage photos, I didn't glue them to the page but used tissue tape to hold them in place so I could easily start again.

First I thought the background colour was too dark so I wanted to add white paint without losing all of the kraft background.
I have been wanting some 3D matt gel but I couldn't get any in the shop and bought the Ranger transparent texture paste, figuring it would be similar. I stencilled it through a Prima/Finnabair doily stencil in 3 places and when dry applied white paint over the paste and embossed areas wiping with a wet rag to reveal the design.

I added a doily die-cut (Prima) and a flower and leaves die-cut (Marianne dies) from metal and painted with acrylics.

Can't say it's perfect but it's definitely better than it was... I have a facing page to be transformed too so I better get to it before I lose interest!

Thanks for coming by,

I am entering  the WOW Embossing Powder and Paper Artsy challenges.

Flowers and Diamonds

This fortnight Paper Artsy is exploring acrylic gels and mediums. As a fairly recent acrylic dabbler I am still unsure as to what product to select or how to use, so I was keen to  test some of the ideas published by the DT...

However, I also wanted to try out my new supplies acquired on my holidays, Izinks acrylic inks, and got a bit side tracked from my starting inspiration of Paua shell effect as demonstrated by Lin Brown on the PA blog.

Yes the stencilled gel medium stayed but the sprays made way for the Izinks (no shine), so different altogether. My other use of gel in this project is as transfer medium for a piece of Chatsworth paper one of my favourite technique!

My base panel is gessoed wood, the stencil has been die-cut with Tim Holtz mixed media Thinlits.

I stamped the tulip from the ELB03 set with paint but the impression just wasn't good enough (more practice required for this tricky technique...) and I had to use a fine brush to go over the lines, finishing with coloured pencils.
I added a butterfly die-cut (Impression Obsessions) sprayed with a mica mist and stamped and embossed "Artful Blooms" from the same stamp set.

As to the lustre of the Paua shells... there's always next time!

Also entering the PolkaDoodles, Tando Creative, We Love 2 Create and Stamping Sensations challenges.

August Butterflies

Time for the August calendar challenge at the Craft Barn.
I used the Rubber Dance colour scheme, perfect for a bright summer's day feel.

I have made this page on acetate, it is the reverse of the page I did for May, which explains the weird shape of my cardstock.

I used flower stamps from Papertrey ink and the butterflies are from a Crafty Individuals set (CI-231) where I have tried to stamp both "solid" and "line" images on top of each other user a stamp positioner (my paper moved...). I am still in two minds as to whether or not to cut this plate apart, in this instance it would have made my life a lot easier!
I added some green and blue distress inks in the background to round off my garden impression.

As I was writing this post I realised I'd left off the most important part...the calendar, so here is another pic:

Just as well, the calendar manages to hide the more-brown-than yellow butterfly...

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Penny Black, Country View (Summertime) and We Love 2 Create challenges.

Coloured pencils

We are challenged to do some colouring this week for the Craft Barn.
I thought of this stamp of an old car which is perfect for detailed colouring with pencils. I say pencils... I have coloured it with alcohol markers too, but I prefer the control I get with the pencils.

To keep with the masculine feel I kept everything else simple.

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering The Artistic Stamper and Craft Stamper challenges.

#35 Gone Shopping

This month as a lot of us are away on holiday relaxing with limited or no craft stash, Vintage Stamping challenges is having an Anything Goes theme, easy isn't it!


I chose to pull out my 50's Girl with attitude, at least this is what I call her, as she makes me feel positive.
I also used the small image of the 50s lady's legs from the same set.

In a Mixed media mood I combined paints, crackle medium, embossing in Vanilla and Blueberry (WOW powders) for my background.

To stamp my 50's girl images I used waterbased markers and then coloured them with pencils.

I'll admit I took a lot of inspiration from a previous make that I currently use as my phone screen saver. It brings a smile to my face when the phone is activated to see the "Gone Fishing" sign.
You've got to get your fun where you can....
Anyway, I think of this tag as the female equivalent and I might even swap it with my Gone Fishing screen saver!

If you are on holidays, enjoy your time off and don't forget you can enter our Vintage Stamping Challenge with any make, as long as they have some stamping- no digis allowed!

I am entering this tag in the We Love 2 Create, and  That Craft Place challenges.