A fantastic couple of days away - workshops with Antonis Tzanidakis

Just got home from a few days staying at my friend Lin's in Poole, and a great couple of workshops organised by Brigitte of Let's Be Creative with the very talented and very funny Antonis Tzandikis in Rogate. 

Friday afternoon was an altered book. 

 we were each given a book and started cutting out our pages...

 the other attendees were all regulars at the  barn but we were both made to feel very welcome and were soon having a right laugh...

Antonis showing us the next steps...

 stencilled some paste on the insides

 which we painted a creamy white...

the centre of the aperture is a clay molded piece that Antonis prepared for each of us while we were cutting our pages

 mine and Lin's books drying

 more air drying clay for the front cover.. made from a stamp
(Stampendous if you're interested)

 adding some colour...





seem to have got too messy to record the next few steps!
rusting went on...

 Antonis added some gold patina that will tarnish overnight...

the rusty front

 front and back

 and as if by magic, it is the next morning!

Saturday morning we drove back to Hampshire for day two - a fantastic workshop again with Antonis,

 where we were working with a large mdf board and a beautiful image...

 again Antonis showing and helping us with the first steps..

 a gorgeous grey green colour was applied...

 and some concrete paste....

 was great to see familiar faces (Nikki Acton and just behind her Brenda Brown)   sorry for catching you mid biscuit Nikki

 is it inside outside or up and down Antonis??

once the first layer of paste was applied it was time for a thicker layer with a feather stencil.

coffee break in the sun outside whilst the paste dried..

 the barn is in a beautiful setting

 then time to add colour, brown water colour,

 bit of mischief going on with a spray bottle..  payback for Nikki decorating the back of Antonis' hoodie...

 the finished piece

 Lin's

 time to clear up...

 and at home today.... need to find somewhere to hang her on the wall now, I love how it's come out

slightly different angle (and no flash) 

 


It was a great couple of days - you won't be surprised that I also got out and about with Lin and my camera to see some of the sights of Poole - head over to photosbyh shortly (need to eat my dinner first though!)  for those! 










Whilst staying at Lin's I slept in her craft room which doubles as a guest bedroom... on Saturday night I did a bit of late night doodling...

what a lovely room!

.. in my France journal for the facebook group challenge. 

"Wings" - for a prompt

along with a few friends I am participating in a series of prompts to stir us into creativity..after a very non-creative year (for me especially)

I didn't share my first project (frames) because I didn't like it - couldn't find a decent frame -  but this week the prompt picked out of a hat was "wings"   (needless to say whilst looking for things for the wings prompt I have found LOADS of frames..... hey ho!)

I took an mdf tag (it's about 10 by 5 1/2 inches ) - in my 2018 challenge to myself to USE STUFF UP.

 I painted the tag with Fresco paints in pale blue and greens (after a layer of white gesso) blending the colours in..

 I used a (first use) stencil - by Stencil Girl (a 9x12 one)
and Decoart crackle paste.  I didn't want huge cracks (which was just as well!)

but eventually and in close up mode, they do show!

Used a couple of Lindy sprays, spritzed and dripped down the veins of the leaves.





Spent a couple of days deciding what I would do next...
hunted for various wing type images that might inspire me..

close up of the texture/sprays

such beautiful colours



after a few false starts for the wings part of the challenge, I was set...

a lot of rummaging in rarely used drawers was called for (it's very good for  me this!)

 In the end I used a Paperartsy stamp set by Emma Godfrey (never used before, would you blooming believe it!)
for the two dragonflies and a long long unused fairy (personal impressions)

I used a black sparkle embossing powder on the lower fairy and a green sparkle one on the other two. I think the base colour was distress oxide for the green one and I can't remember under other one


I needed something for them all to sit/fly amongst... I took a couple of leaf shapes (Artemio) which I painted with a variety of Fresco paints before gluing on with (hopefully) strong glue..

 Did something different on the dragonflies... I used my portfolio pastels to scribble colour on the wings, then heat set to blend/set and then used my Tim Holtz clear (dirty!) embossing ink pad and a Stardust - clear- embossing powder (by Funstamps!!  told you I was using old stuff)    for the glittery shimmer.

I did wonder if the embossing powder would stick to the pastels whilst they were still warm from the heat setting (no, is the answer!)

 the text comes from the same stamp set as the dragonflies.

am quite pleased with this... by now I will know what the next prompt is going to be...

Christmas Playtime!

I bought a little MDF chest of drawers about a year and more ago at Ally Pally, and have been meaning to do something with it ever since... with my tidy up I decided it was time, it will be ideal for my Prima bits and pieces to be stored in.

 I gave everything a layer of white gesso,  inside the drawers too

 I had a good rummage through my vast collection of patterned papers and chose a piece designed by Finnabair for 7 Dots Studio, from the Dreamer collection. It's been sitting there, being stroked for so long, but it was time to use it (it's ok, I have a spare!)  So, I gave the whole chest a coat of Fresco paint in Guacamole, so it would have an opaque base to sit on, and then added colours to match (roughly) the colours in the paper - Beach Hut, Limelight, Zesty Zing, Yellow Submarine and a mixture of Cherry Red and Blood Orange.

 the top and back got a coat of Beach Hut

 and I painted the drawers to match. I used my Deco Art media sprays inside - luckily I just have enough to match each drawer (had to use the yellow for both drawers)

 on the back, I used Finn's Prima bubbles stencil and Bora Bora, then stamped in the bigger circules with Paperartsy mini 61 in black archival ink.

 the drawers need more - so I took some archival inks in roughly similar shades to the paint, and Ellen Vargo stamps from EEV05 and 06 and stamped all round the drawers. I used Forget-me-Not, Fern Green, Dandelion, Orange Blossom and Vermillion.

 the top has a layer of Crackle Glaze, and Chalk Fresco on top.
I sanded the edges of the paper lightly to distress it  a little.

 love the drawers!
















and got some great cracking this time!  


This was a whole heap of fun to do. Now to decant some bits and pieces into the drawer - and find somewhere to stand it!