WOYWW 792

 Hello deskers, happy Wednesday- time for another WOYWW at Sarah's  

Once more it's been a week of Olympic-watching rather than crafting .

I had some new goodies arrive, I'd been watching Alison Bomber on You-tube with the Tim Holtz moon mask, which had passed me by when launched 

and Dina used an old set of stamps that I managed to track down too...

I was fighting with my embossing powder and I think the moon mask needs practice... but I re-discovered an old set of stamps that included some wildflowers and grasses....(by Inkadinkadoo which will show you how old they are) 

I also got out  my box of distress inks (not the oxides which i use a fair bit)  

and the (wheat?)  I liked so much I had to fill a page with it...

the ink is Uncharted Mariner - don't think I realised what a beautiful colour it was when I first got it. 

 

and so to Kew... a solo visit last week as Kew buddy Kim was recovering from having her gall bladder removed earlier in the week. 

there was colour

and a little  a bit of rain...

and then a bit of sun.

but a lot of fun with the reflections again in the Marc Quinn sculptures.

thanks for looking, put the kettle on I'll be round to see what you've been up to soon!  

WOYWW 623

 Morning deskers!  We're gathering once more for WOYWW  - desk sharing day.  Julia has all the info.

Next week is our 12th anniversary and we're planning an atc swap.  I have got some made (yay, not last minute) and as well as one for my swap partner and one for Julia I have 10 I can swap if anyone is interested. let me know in the comments.  (thanks to Mary Anne for remindingme I should keep one... I have 9 to swap!!)

So onto my desk for this week...

an aerial shot this week... on the mat on my floor space is my 6x6 white Dina journal and some tags I made after watching a facebook live session with Dina on Saturday.  

my atcs might be hiding in plain sight too... but no proper peeks today!

I've also made a birthday card this week for my cousin which is on it's way to her, and she is unlikely to see this 

using stamps by JoFY for Paperartsy to give them their first inkings.

and some enabling!  (of course!) 

it was quite a big box  - but mostly packing

I did manage to peel off part of the Ranger printed tape that was sealing the box

the latest Dina releases (I resisted on the Kraft journal but am regretting it having seen so many gorgeous pages people are doing in it so might have to go back to get one!)

I am sure I can use the piece of Ranger tape for something in my journal!

and a close up of the tags from Saturday/Sunday - gloss sprays... just playing and not finished, but was having fun

(messy fun!)  

As for Saturday at Kew... it was wet!!

but you know how I love raindrops!

more here 

the wavy sculpture last week, is designed as a seat, and somewhere to get a different viewpoint on the surroundings.  there is info here on the Kew website  about the Plantscapes

thanks for looking - will be popping along to catch your desk soon  

"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...

Paperartsy challenge - Art Dolls

This fortnight, the lovely Paperartsy people are challenging us to play with dolls - Art Dolls.  There have already been some fabulous inspirational posts from some of their designers, paper dolls, clay dolls, fabric dolls... 

I took "shrek girl" (you're right, Lucy, she makes a great art doll) and worked a tag background with the fab Paperartsy Infusions (available at a stockist near you soon)

I used Sunset Beach,Emerald Isle and The Sage, spritzing and spreading with an acrylic block.

 I stamped the girl on heavy cartridge paper and coloured her with Frescos, trying vaguely to co-ordinate the colours to the background.
I used Tangerine Twist mixed with White Fire for the crown and her dress, and Tangerine on its own for the wings (which come from the One Penny 4 A6 plate.

I made some steps for her to stand on using the tape borders from the One Penny 2 plate, coloured the bottom layer with Winter Green, mixed Winter Green and Zesty Zing for layer two and the top layer (part of the Shrek Girl stamp itself) was a watered down mix of the two colours to get a lighter still shade.

I used blush for the skin, watering it down for the text areas of her face, and Bubble Gum for her lips,  The heart on her dress is Cherry Red.

Stencilled the hanging dotty border (one of Darcy's ) with Zucchini mixed with Little Black Dress, 

the text stamping on the tag is a Kaisercraft stamp, stamped in black archival without a block, turning it so not all the text goes the same way.

Entering her (she's always going to be Shrek Girl now) to the Paperartsy challenge here 

WOYWW 353

Happy WOYWW to my desk hopping buddies... After last week's little bag of goodies, there is nothing new on my workspace...
but I am working at a journal page

 it's basically a couple of pieces left from a masterboard and some extra paint and stencils on the page to blend it in..

 closer up look.. not finished yet, needs a focal point I think, just not sure what... will ponder for a while!  the colours are mostly the new frescos in winter green, zucchini and white fire, with some granny smith and chalk, thrown in.

have been playing with the Paperartsy Infusion powders, to make the background on this tag, (no close ups sorry) - that was sitting on the mat last workdesk post..
finished it off with some more of the stamps from the "Shrek girl" plate and sent it off as a thank you to ....

won't say in case it hasn't arrived (it should, if the post is kind today)

hope you have some great desk hopping and will catch you soon.

Topic 2 - Hearts - crackle tag

What a fabulous (expensive..) week its been at Paperartsy... wonderful new releases of stamps, paints and stencils... and periscopes each night with wonderful demos from Leandra. You can see her periscopes here 

Last night (Saturday) she revisited some crackle techniques and afterwards I sprang into action...
This tag fits the hearts topic that closes later today

 I forgot to take a photo of the base tag before I crackled it... but used several colours of fresco paint on top of a tag I painted black... I used bougainvillea zucchini and mermaid

 the smaller of the hearts from Emma Godfrey's heart plate EEG13 to fill the tag.

used a translucent Fresco to add some colour on top of the tag -pumpkin soup and beach hut

I was looking for some heart shaped buttons but can't find any...

entering the Paperartsy Hearts topic challenge here 

a huge thanks to all the Paperartsy team and their wingmen for (making me spend so much money) a wonderful week, brilliant new stamps stencils and paint colours (get COPPER and WHITE FIRE, you won't be sorry) you are all fabulous.

Dragons Dream Team - Tag It On - Autumn Leaves

Hi gang, and welcome to another challenge from the Dragons Dream Team - Elizabeth is setting the theme this fortnight, and it is Autumn Leaves.

I started with a size 10 tag and some wrinkle free distress with Mowed Lawn mostly, and some green Bistre powders too.
I stamped the words which are from JoFY31 multiple times in black archival ink

 the leaves are die cut from a sheet of card which I painted randomly with various orange red and yellow Fresco paints - Brown Shed, Tango, Autumn Fire, Smoked Paprika and a little Guacamole and Limelight.

I then stamped a scribbly circle (EEG07 in black, all over the card, and infilled with dots (ELB24) in Red Geranium archival before die cutting the Tattered Leaves and movers and shapers (Tim Holtz) as many times as I could from the sheet (A4 size) (forgot a photo of this stage!)

 kind of randomly dropped the leaves on the tag and the glued them down, used 3d foam for some to get some depth.

close up.

Loved this theme, Elizabeth, especially as I made it a day after a(nother) trip to Kew to see the Autumn colour (check here!)

Hope you'll enjoy it too, and please join in - don't forget to use at least one real stamp and you do need a tag!

Tag it On - Dragons Dream

Good afternoon and welcome to another fortnightly challenge from the DragonsDream Team. This time, for our final numbers challenge, the supremely talented Julie Ann would like us to use 4 in/on our tag. Don't forget you also have to use one real stamp.

I was going to cut my tag into the shape of a 4 but in the end went off on a different tangent.
My base tag was a reject from an earlier numbers tag, so I can't quite remember what went on!!

 there are various layers of number stamps and paint, and I stamped and embossed the teasel in the centre of the card.

I added some more of the teasels and the solid flower from the same set (ELB22)  and stamped some 4's and a circle round them

in my stash I found a wooden counter with a 4 on it which I glued into the centre of one of the circles and added some ribbon.

It needed a word or some writing, so added "believe" too.

Hope that some more of you will join in with this challenge, it doesn't seem to have been very popular, so next time there'll be something different!

Dragons Dream - Tag it On - Nine

Wow, that two weeks flew by!  Thanks for your entries to Catherine's '3' challenge for the Dragons .

This time, the very lovely Gabrielle has chosen 9 . Don't forget to use at least one real stamp on your tag, and to incorporate 9 somewhere! 

Welcome, to Dressed Up to the Nines

 I started by painting my tag (size 10) with bands of the new limited edition Fresco paints (from the bottom, Professor Plum Captain Peacock, Granny Smith and Teresa Green; and the gap at the top is Vanilla (not a limited edition one)

I lightly stamped my top image on the tag, and applied a layer of crackle glaze to the inside of the image.

 when that was dry, Vanilla on top and let the crackle do it's thing, revealing hints of the colours underneath. Stamped the image over the top

 added another layer of the paints on top of the bands, to intensify the colours, and stencilled a pattern on the background (used Prof Plum and Teresa Green).
The 9 came from a Paperartsy plate by JoFY.

so did the Dream at the top, and then added a ribbon.

Hope to see your take on 9, this fortnight.

Dragons Dream - Tag It On - Three

Thanks for sharing your tags at Tag It On on the theme of 2, last time.  This fortnight, the lovely Catherine has picked the number  3..

 I have no step by step photos...

I took a size 10 tag that I had tried out a labrynth stencil on (tinted texture paste) and added two more stencils - the art is script, and the cornflowers... so, 3 stencils, 3 cornflowers, and 3 threes!

I stuck to a greeny-blue colourscheme.

The Teesha Moore girl was stamped on a scrap of paper and coloured with watercolour pencils

 I chose the text (a Tim Holtz stamp) because she looks like she is exploring in amongst the forest of cornflowers...

Quite pleased how this one came out, wish the photos weren't all quite so wonky...

hope you'll check out the rest of the teams' tags and please join in - you have two weeks, starting now, lol!!

WOYWW 325 - secrets!

Hi, and welcome to week 325 of WOYWW the desk sharing fun-fest.

Going to be a bit of a tease this week (sorry!).... let me show you the floor first..

it shows some work in progress for something I can't tell you about yet... exciting but scary at the same time.... all will be revealed in about 10 days.. (the top tag is a decoy, another WIP for something else!!)

there should be a shot of some new stash too, but I can't find it on the computer...the eagle eyed among you may notice the tower of gels has grown again..
oh hang on, here it is...

and the stamps on show may have something to do with the aforementioned secret!
tee hee!

that's all from me today, see you at Julia's to find some more crafty spaces to explore!

Dragons Dream - Tag it On

Time for another tag challenge from the Dragons - this fortnight, it's the turn of Silvia, and she wants us to use the number 2. 

I decided to not only use the number 2, but to make 2 tags.. twins, you might say!

I took two size 8 tags and a couple of stencils - the mini Labrynth (crafters workshop) and the numbers (paperartsy) using just the number 2 from it.  Paints are Blueberry for the Labrynth, and Lavender for the numbers.

My main image is a Teesha Moore stamp, on another tag - painted Banana before stamping and cut out the images.  mounted them on the tags so they could stand side by side, and stamped the text on a spare bit of another tag (from a Paperartsy plate)

Painted some white satin ribbon with more Blueberry Fresco, as I didn't have a ribbon the right colour (how does that happen? about a million ribbons and never the right shade...) 

Hope you will join in the challenge this time, it would be great to see more of you playing along.  Check out the rest of my team-mates here

Flower Tag - inspired by Leandra for Paperartsy

Last weekend at Stevenage, you may have seen the gorgeous tag Leandra made me

that evening I started a version of my own, using some of the new Lin Brown stamps I'd bought that day... didn't like the first few layers of paint on the background,too sludgy... so just kept going..



eventually got to a stage where it was OK.

 didn't take any more photos until the stamping was done...nor can I remember what colours are in the background..

I do know I used South Pacific to colour the flowers, and a mixture of greens for the stems.

Added some white pen highlights to the petals, and some more stamping to the foot of the tag

not completely happy with this, but I do like the background at least...

entering the Paperartsy Flowers Challenge