Create a page

I was trying out some of my newest stamps yesterday, in my journal, and finished this page off tonight -

the page is painted with a paperartsy fresco paint though I did it several days ago and can't recall which one - I think it's butternut -

I've used Dyan's fabulous stencils (with pumice stone and rusty hinge distress ink) and Tim's 'mixed media' stamps and Wendy's flower from 'accents for art' and the words are Wendy's too, from 'just word art'. Did some outlining with a white Inkessentials pen.

Ok, that's it from me - the footie is on and calling me!

"Time" for a card

The latest challenge set by Neet on behalf of Artful Times is 'time'.

I folded a sheet of Kraft paper and stamped Tim's clock stamp several times in embossing ink, then added pan pastels to colour.  Die cut the clock in grungepaper and coloured it with vintage photo distress ink. The sentiment is also Tim's and finally I added some 'alpha parts' coloured with pewter fresco paint (paperartsy).

 In the middle of the clock I used a Wendy Vecchi flower from the 'accents for art' set

Compendium Challenge - 3

For Linda's third challenge from Tim's Compendium volume 2 challenge - only my first - Linda asked us to work on page 46 - marbled stains.  The details are in the book so I can't share the technique with you but I loved this when I tried it in the Creative Chemistry class (though with limited success I fear) so was looking forward to trying it again.

I was further inspired by one of the other entries (thanks, Sue) and this was the result.  Still not fully happy with the extent of the marbling - maybe next time!!

 I used a piece of manilla cardstock for my marbling and then die cut some butterflies (stamped with Wendy Vecchi's dotty border in coffee archival) before displaying them on a black card.

I then used some Paperartsy 'old gold' paint from my craft mat to ink up the 'dream' stamp (impression obsession) on a scrap of black card and edged it with a gold pen.

this close up may show the marbling slightly better!

Thanks, Linda for this challenge - glad to be able to join in finally as I had the supplies ready for this one!!

Thanks also to the kind sponsors for a random winner,  http://www.eclecticpaperie.com

Cracked Glass

Tonight I've got some Art Part art to share with you - for a challenge hosted by the yahoo group Everything Wendy Vecchi - Lori has asked us to make a piece based on Wendy's book 3, page 22 which uses rock candy distress paint.

I decided to break open some Art Part packs for this challenge.

I painted the frame with Pewter Paperartsy Fresco paint, used distress stain and ink on the kraft resist paper for the background in the frame.  The art part bottle is painted with Old Gold Fresco paint, then the rock candy distress paint is added.  Used various distress stains for the art part flower and leaves and the grungepaper flowers.  

I am also entering this to the Pan Pastels challenge "add a flower" which I am just in time for, as it closes tomorrow, and Hels' Sunday Stampers  which is "summer colours" and also closes tomorrow. Nothing like last minute...

Thanks for looking. 

Simon Says Stamp..

and show your 'favourite word'. I went back to my journal again and was messing about with some of the fantastic Dylusions stencils. I love this pattern and decided that done this way it looks like a pathway, so my word was chosen!

the background is painted with Paperartsy Fresco paints (which I adore!) I think the green  (it is green, just a poor photo!!) I used was limelight but I fear I have forgotten!  the stencilling is definitely done with inky pool.  The leaves are from the same stencil (appropriately called luscious leaves) and I used black soot distress ink, I then doodled over them with my white gel pen . So, a pathway needs a figure - that posed some problems - Wendy's running man - too big, and facing the wrong way! Stampscapes figures - too small.... Umbrella Man - could be - fortunately I have this mini Umbrella Man from the QVC special a couple of years ago - perfect!! 'journey' is also Tim's, the writing my own!!

Once again, Simon Says are offering a lucky winner with a $50 prize - check them out at Simon Says Stamp and Show

WOYWW 151

Welcome to another WOYWW. Julia's brainchild where she hosts the desks (and other places) of the world where we make art - sometimes messy (that'll be me then!), sometimes neat (but that won't!).

I have been shopping again, yes so soon after Ally Pally - but they were things I didn't find there, on my list and my good friend Gabrielle agrees with me, that if it's on your list, it doesn't count...
Sorry about the glare from the flash!  The second of Tim's books and some texture fades (which I've already put to good use - see Monday's post)






But they've been put away now, my patch on the floor looks like this - a part done journal page that started as a mop up from the green challenge piece I did on Saturday  that lots of you have already been so kind about
and my part done Altered Book homework (lesson 5) that I don't know if I can link yet - not totally happy with it and haven't even started lesson 6!

Anyhow, I'll let you get on over to Julia's to check out some more desks. Have a good week!

12 Tags of 2012 - April

Better late than never! I suddenly realised I hadn't made a tag for Tim's 2012 tag challenge.  You can see Tim's original here 

 I don't have the Reflections stamps Tim used and I couldn't find my 'reverse stamp' which is basically just a plain piece of rubber - that you stamp onto first so that you get a reverse image and which I was going to try using instead - so I just stamped the script straight onto the tag before embossing.  I think it's worked ok.  I do have the frame texture fade Tim used, (cos I bought it last week...)

As I don't have the bird and branch die that Tim used, I die cut some butterflies in grungepaper and inked and distress embossed them, coloured the tag with distress inks and some of the ribbon trim also. I used the tiny attacher to fix the butterflies to the tag, making sure the staples are straight-ish to represent the body of the butterfly.  Finally as I don't have any 'word bands' I used a metal embellishment from my stash.

A Sea of Greens

Happy Saturday!! I have had so much fun making this piece for the current Artful Times challenge "a Sea of Greens".  I started with white cardstock (Paperartsy smoothy paper purchased at Ally Pally). Hmmm it's nice... anyhow, painted it with Paperartsy Fresco paints and stamps, I used pan pastels, distress inks, archival inks, glassine paper, stamps, flowers, idea-ology ... just had fun!

I covered a tag with more fresco paint and did the crackle glaze trick, then stamped the owl onto tissue paper before sticking it tot he tag.  I used lots of new stuff I bought last week at Ally Pally, and took as inspiration the work that Lin was doing there.

 some close ups - the starting point!

The frame is by Artemio , 3 in a pack very reasonable. painted black (distress stain) and a little old gold fresco paint over the top.

Love that owl stamp (Paperartsy) and the flowers are sprayed with dylusion spray - I originally dried it with the heat gun but it took the colour out so sprayed again and let it dry naturally - which it did pretty instantly on this surface! What a zingy colour it is... need the rest of those now! (it is paling as it dries further, shame!!)

used pan pastels on the owl and as I only have a few and no browns, I used orange mixed with the auberginey purpley colour i do have...

Amazingly I even found something suitable to mount it on - the bottom of a box that contained a Liverpool Supporters Club gift a few years ago - see, NEVER through stuff away!!! Now just need somewhere to display it.

Thanks for looking, hope you like this piece- I am happy with this one!

Rescuing the journal pages

I've been messing about in my journal with Dylusion sprays - I've done two double spreads one of which I am not happy with, and one which is OK.  The first one I just kept adding things to to try and disguise the bits I didn't like ... still not sure if it's worked!

 This is just a big jumble.... this is how I abandoned it yesterday. Too many colours I think and too busy. Tried dulling it down with some gesso washed over. 

So tonight I added some black, some writing (using India ink and one of the dipping pens I found at Mum's at Easter when we were clearing out & decorating) 

The Dina Wakley images are stamped onto tissue wrap and stuck to the page. I also did some 'bumping' over the alphabet stencilling. Also splattered some india ink over the page too.

Hmmm..........

I do love the colours on these pages - Dylusions again, but I went over it with some watered down gesso which not only lightened the intensity but smudged and blended it to fill the gaps.

Then to find some images...

Stencilling - Dylusions stencils (love them!!) applied Paperartsy Fresco paint (vintage lace) and black soot distress ink for the letters.

Stamps required - time for Tim!  I love this hot air balloon, and the men from the steampunk set.  I coloured some glossy cardstock with Dylusion sprays spritzed with water, and cut the balloon out.  The 3 guys are just on plain white cardstock.

Entering this page to Simon Says Stamp and Show - anything goes - and Hels Sunday Stampers - Men - challenges.
Thanks for looking. Please tell me what else I could have done to rescue the first page (other than tear it out of the journal, except it's on the other side of the previous page that I did like...which now has pink splodges come through onto the green and yellow!)

Dragons Dream TIO - The Secret Garden

Welcome to another TIO challenge - we have reached the end of our book titles with Frankie herself choosing "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  I am sure I must have read this as a little girl, we certainly had a copy at home.

I have done a double tag for this complete with secret opening, of course!

 The entrance to my secret garden is a stamp by Hero Arts. The tags are coloured with distress stains in tumbled glass, bundled sage and peeled paint distress ink. I removed some of the colour from the front as it was too dark.
I twisted some wire around the tags.

stamps inside are by Paperartsy with the weeds from Wendy Vecchi, and the larger single bird is Inkadinkado.

I'd like to add my own welcome to our new DT members - hope you have fun with us!

WOYWW 150- the one where she shops

Happy WOYWW to you all - week 150. Julia's brainchild.  I duly attended Ally Pally on Saturday (see here for the full details and all the stash I bought....)
I had the best day out ever - due in no small part (and sorry I can't link all of you!) to Gabrielle, Lin, Leandra, Alison, Hels, Nicky, Gillian, Anna, Jennie, Cardarian and many others! It was SO good to finally meet people I have 'known' through their blogs and through Twitter for so long, and catch up with others I've met before.  You all made my weekend. I really, REALLY enjoyed myself.  I needed it after the last few months!

So, I showed you when I got home the (many) piles of new stash - but since then there's more... 
 the amazingly beautiful Dylusions stencils by Dyan Reaveley for Ranger available in the UK @ Art From The Heart (Dy's shop) and others, but (yes, Elizabeth) in the States too.

The rather excessive stash shop caused me to have a bit of a jiggle around!  I put all my Tim Holtz idea-ology that doesn't fit in the 3 drawer chest (still not decanted them into the Really Useful Boxes, I just can't bear to...) and my Wendy Vecchi Art Parts - into a box.  They are now handy in one place easy to grab.  I must admit, I didn't realise I had so many packs of Art Parts... Must start using them soon...


So, that's my "desk" today... head over to Julia's for a good look round some amazing crafty spaces.

Dylusions - what colours!!!

Well, just for Carol my twit buddy, here is something made with items from my new Ally Pally stash!

I really do need to get a different journal though, as this one has quite thin paper pages and the sprays do go right through.... I didn't prime this one with gesso, to see just how much.... suffice to say, even after painting the other side with gesso, you can still see the colour through...

So, I used two of the Dylusion sprays I bought (obviously I wanted them all, but limited myself to 5)  These are pure sunshine and vibrant turquoise. I blended in the gaps with some distress inks (mustard seed and evergreen bough).  I used a thin watered down wash of gesso over the densest part of the turquoise, so that what I wanted to do on top had a chance of showing up.











Then, I took two of the wonderful Dina Wakley stamps (boys star and grungy circles) - these aren't new from Saturday though  - and stamped them on top.  First of all I used the circles with picket fence distress stain, and I didn't think it showed up till I've photographed it!!  Then I used black archival for the stars, and cobalt archival for the circles.

Finally I took the Silhouette Script girl which I stamped in black on a piece of white card spritzed with the pure sunshine spray and cut her out.  The text is one of Dyan's Dylusion sets I got on Saturday, just stamped on white paper and cut up and stuck on. I wanted all of them too, but only got one set. So that's doubled my Dylusions stamp sets!! slowly, slowly!



Hopefully tomorrow I will also be in possession of the Dylusion stencils as a packet came today that needed signing for, so of course I was out, and will pick it up from the sorting office on my way to work tomorrow morning.... watch this space as they say!

So, Carol, this is for you!  I'm just off to test out my craft scrubbie!!

Ally Pally - and I spent (a lot...)

Ok, had a FANTASTIC day at Ally Pally - I was there a tad early - about 8.40 - and first in the queue - whoop whoop. Trouble is doors don't open till 10....

Met up with my lovely friend Gabrielle when she arrived a little later with her daughter and friend Kitty and at 10 I headed straight for Paperartsy - where I found Gillian and Nicky and Anna who I previously only knew through blog/twitter. Spent a lot here - twice!!

 Lin and Leandra working hard!

 our lunch break! l-r Anna, Bev, Sara, Linda and Gabrielle standing forgive me if I have got the names wrong...

 Gillian and Nicky

I ended up covered in badges!

 stash (1)

 Stash (2)

stash (3)

Had an absolute ball today - as you can see I spent a fortune! but, hell, I may win the lottery tonight (ye, right!) and if not, so what, you only live once.

One of the Dylusions stamps (sentiments, in pic 2 above) says "you can't have everything, where woldl you put it" errr well, I 'm not sure..... but I think I'm going to try.

Ladies, thank you for your company and Lin and Leandra as usual producing some beautiful things - could have stood there ALL day... just look at this that Lin was working on whilst I watched...

Now, I wonder if I can afford to have anything for dinner... lol!

Two eyes and a hand...

I know- another two post day! Making up for lost time over the weekend...

I had an email today from the Yahoo group Everything Wendy Vecchi about a new challenge - based on Wendy's art on page 38 of book 3 - we are to use 2 eyes and a hand....

I decided to use a jigsaw piece (only because I was rummaging for some art parts and found them instead) which I gesso'd and then used faded jeans distress stain, spritzing to make it wick and puddle, before drying, and added some more ink from the matching ink pad.  Edged with walnut stain to do that 'drawing the eye in' trick. 

Polka dots and the eyes are from Wendy's Seriously Art set, the latter stamped on sticky back canvas, the text from Live and Make Art (though that's not where I found it!! )  The hand is from my stash and is coloured with raspberry and silver alcohol inks. It's a bit of a contrived use of a hand, but there we go!!   The 'dream' is Tim's mover and shaper die. 

If you like Wendy's style and stamps, why not come over and join the group and join in the fun?

WOYWW 149

Hi, everyone - hope you all had a good Easter break and didn't over indulge on chocolate!

I was staying at my Mum's house, with my brother and we had some more decorating to do (still lots more to do, but between the two of us we didn't do too badly!)  no pictures of me up ladders in overalls this time though...and NO chocolate!

I brought a few (more!) bits and pieces back with me to use in various crafting things - a pile of black card (actually from Dad's stamp collecting days) and a couple of little boxes - there's a dinky little bottle of india ink and some drawing pens (great for my journal!)
The Daily Mail Bungalow book is from the Ideal Home exhibition and dated 1922 and has loads of plans of bungalows - I thought I would use it in my crafts somewhere but may not be able to tear the pages out... same as the open book - which is rather grandly called The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1952 - my Dad was very keen on photography in his earlier days (mostly before we kids came along and got in the way and took all his money!) and had his own black and white (all there was then!) developing equipment.  It's full of old adverts for cameras and things, and explanations of photographic terms etc. Not to mention some photos of scantily clad females...

Back here at home I had a bit of a clear out on Easter Monday - this is a pile to the left of my sofa and before I tackled it the 2 sets of drawers were on a huge pile of magazines now in the recycling bin... it doesn't look it, but this corner is LOTS better than it was!!

I also came across this folder full of Oriental type bits and pieces that I obviously bought when I was in that stage of my crafting (not really done any Oriental style things for years!!) I'd forgotten all about them... maybe they will find their way into my Altered Book (of which my lesson 5 homework is not going to get done in any hurry!)

Anyhow, this Saturday coming is the Alexandra Palace stamp show (known as Ally Pally) and I am hoping to meet up with lots of blogger/twitters most of whom I've never met before so that should be fun.... you know what that means - next week there will be NEW STASH to show you... better do some more sorting out!!!
This is meant to be a "short and sweet" link for WOYWW (What's on your Workdesk Wednesday) and it is neither short nor probably sweet so I had better go or Julia will be cross with me!

Sunday Stampers - 200 Not Out

Amazingly, Hels' Sunday Stampers challenge hits a high spot this week - 200 not out!  Hels' always makes some marvellous art to stimulate our minds and get us creating - and this week is no exception - and she has candy on offer too.  Check out her blog for details.

So, this week the theme is appropriately, 'numbers' and the song it's based on, 'I got your number'.  I have dabbled in my journal again with Paperartsy paints in various greens then I (badly!) stencilled through the mini numbers template (crafters workshop) with pumpkin soup - might have worked better if I'd used paint perhaps, lol!!!

Used the Wendy Vecchi numbers background stamp in pine needles and forest moss distress, spritzing it to make the ink wick and run; then used Tim's small and large numbers and the Wendy Vecchi solid flower (still my favourite) and the Tim sentiment.  Added some die cut numbers covered in gold krylon pen. Well, 200 deserves gold, right?  Congrats on this milestone, Hels' - I have played along for quite a while whenever I can, and really love it.

I challenge you...

I was having a tweet conversation with my friend Gabrielle this morning saying that I wasn't sure how to get inky after a morning of clearing out some very old (2006-7) Good Food magazines and other papers and stuff - and she challenged me to use the colour blue and leaves. So, Gabrielle, hope you like this - it's a page in my journal.

It started with a layer of gesso, then tumbled glass distress stain over the page.  The leaves are by Dylusions (I only have one set, at the moment...!) in chipped sapphire ink round the edges, and the smaller leaves in tumbled glass, broken china and faded jeans.

The sentiment is Tim's as is the weeny butterfly which I coloured with watercolour pencils....I stamped the sentiment in chipped sapphire straight on the page and then just select words again on a piece of blue scrap card using the picket fence distress stain to put over the top.


Now, Gabrielle, about that TIO challenge....!!

Artful Times #1

There is a new blog in town with challenges - run by the uber- talented Neet, Sam and Von - Artful Times.  Check them out!  The first challenge is - make a tag.

Oh go on then!! I had to get some inky stuff done tonight before the weekend decorating kicks in at my late mum's house, with my brother...and before I am cast ashore without internet, blog or twitter.... oh my!!  so here goes.

It's a size 8 tag, coloured with distress stains - spiced marigold, wild honey and mustard seed - spritzed to make it run and blend - edged with walnut stain distress ink. Stamps are by Paperartsy - the main image is stamped in the limited edition ripe persimmon - boy that's a bright orange! and the others are brushed corduroy (twigs) and black archival (text).  The moth is stamped in coffee archival on a piece of Tim Holtz tissue wrap, which I swiped with picket fence stain first.  The flower trim is stained with the same colours I used on the tag.  I sanded down the philosophy tag and applied some distress stain to that too though I can't get a very good photo tonight with the flash!!  The words are from the 'Chitchat' idea-ology, the pearls from my stash (an old necklace I no longer wore)

Good luck with the blog, ladies I am sure it will be hugely successful and I look forward to joining you as often as I can!

Dragons-Dream - #TIO 113 - Angels & Demons

Time for another Tag It On challenge - this week, Blackdragon has chosen Dan Brown's "Angels &Demons" - the sequel to "The Da Vinci Code". I did read it not long after it came out but was a bit stumped for images, so I've gone with some angels (Judikins) and the secret code/spying theme... (stamps by Paperartsy and Wendy Vecchi)

I've coloured the tag with distress stains (antique linen, scattered straw, crushed olive, & vintage photo round the edges) and used black soot and frayed burlap distress ink for the images. The letters are die cut with two Tim Holtz alphabet dies. The memo pin through the trim says 'secrets' though I couldn't get close enough in to show that!

I hope you'll come and check the others out - and take part - just remember to make a tag, use at least one real stamp and the theme. Thanks and have fun!

WOYWW 148

Happy Wednesday to you hope you are all keeping well. Time for another 'show and tell' of desks/floors/cupboards hosted by the lovely Julia at the Stamping-Ground

My floorspace today has the results of my tag-heavy weekend taking part in Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry online course - you can see them properly in earlier posts but here they are all together! Two days solid tag making - and then some birthday cards - it was hard to unfold my legs after that marathon session!

Just before this artfully posed photo I was working on a journal page for this week's Simon Says Stamp challenge - Studio 490 Inspiration - so that wasn't hard for me either!

This is the photo shortly before I tried to fix some white blobs on the butterflies!!
Going to keep it short this week (for once!) and let you get off to the rest of the  list.... or some of them anyway!

Simon Says Show Wendy Style

The challenge set by Simon Says Stamp and Show this week is - Studio 490 Inspiration.  Right up my street!!

I took to my journal - have been a bit tagged out with the fab Creative Chemistry lessons last week!

I started by priming the page with gesso and then stamped the alphabet background (Artfully Said) in bundled sage twice.

I overstamped the solid flower from the same set in forest moss several times and the lacy flower/weed (Botanical Art) in walnut stain.
Text stamps in black archival are from Nature's Art and Art in Bloom

The butterfly (Botanical Art) is stamped on Kraft Resist and coloured with spiced marmalade distress stain and the distress ink (can't remember what colour!)

Spritzed some water at the page to make the distress ink wick a bit before drying it quickly. Edged the borders with evergreen bough ink and bundled sage.

Thanks, Simon Says for another great challenge - and a $50 random prize again too.