Catching Up!

Afternoon. Am on a catch up to blog the backlog of cards I have not shared. So, I have a quick post today. 

This card is made from a Hunkydory topper and card collection - can't for the life of me remember the name at the minute. 

I've used a ribbon and sparkler for embellishment - and cut the letters using Crafter's Companion Essentials Only Word Alphabet dies. 

As I said, short and sweet today!!

Hopefully back fairly soon!!
Cxxx

True Love Forever

I have been amassing a few gorgeous trinkets to alter from my local car boot, but in the meantime, I have a box canvas created using a load of Imagination Crafts goodies - and an old pre-used canvas.

I have used:

Off cuts from rice papers - 339 and 446

Starlights - Hot Pink, Clotted Cream

White Gesso

Decoupage glue

A4 Art Stencil - Crosshatch Elements

Structure Paste

Other

Box Canvas

Lace

Red Liner tape

Doilies

Art Basics Heavy Body Gel

Paper flowers, fabric flowers, wooden hearts, Card Candi, UTEE flowers

I decided to use up some scraps of rice paper and a box canvas that I had previously used and over-painted.

I played around with the pieces I had, until I was happy.

I painted the canvas with white gesso.

I then brushed Hot Pink and Clotted Cream over the canvas with a bit more gesso.

Using Decoupage glue, I stuck the rice paper to the canvas.

The lace trim was stuck on using red liner tape.

I added a quarter of a doily to each of two corners, using decoupage glue.

A mixture of structure paste and Hot Pink Starlight paint was mixed, and applied through A4 Art Stencil - Crosshatch Elements.

I then had a rummage through my stash to find some embellishments and stamps and played with the arrangement of them until I was happy.

At this point I decided to add the structure paste to the edge of the canvas . 

I glued more rice paper to a whole doily.

The first layers of embellishments were added using Heavy Body Gel.

I had a go at making some embellishments using the Structure Paste and moulds. It did take quite a while for the paste to dry in the mould - the thinner the piece the quicker it dried.

I added these onto the canvas.

And covered over with white gesso. The paper flowers really didn't want to be covered - never had that before - the colour just kept seeping through even after several layers. Lesson learned - and I don't think it shows too much.

With a dry brush, I added Hot Pink and Clotted Cream Starlights and more gesso.

I gessoed the wooden hearts, painted them with Hot Pink Starlight, and then dabbed Clotted Cream Starlight over the top with a dry baby wipe.

Having painted Clotted Cream onto a piece of card, and then I stamped using Crafter's Companion Textures word stamps. I cut the pieces into banners, and edged with some of the pink structure paste.

I added the hearts to the canvas.

And then the words.

The words don't show up so well on the final photo - but hopefully you get the ide.

Back soon

Cxxx

Time to relax

Afternoon! Haven't been on for a while as we've been away on our hols, and I got a bit busy before we went. While we were away, I had the opportunity to take part in some watercolour sessions - something I haven't done in over 20 years!! it was great to be able to do something creative purely for myself - not for friends or family, or for allocations or demonstrations. 

They are not great works of art, but I found it so much fun that I don't mind. There were challenges along the way - like being bolder with colour, which I finally achieved with the parrot, and the portrait - which I found really difficult. So here they are! 

Back soon

Cxxx

Out of fear of seeming ridiculous, we often end up not tackling the challenges around us. John Ruskin

Creativity takes courage. Henri Matisse

Black Butterflies!!

Well, I know you don't normally see black butterflies, but I like the silhouette against the bright background.

Imagination Crafts: 

Mix Media Inks - Fuchsia and Sunshine

Magi Blend

Art Stamps - Distress Set 1

Other:

Gesso

Glycerine

Memento Tuxedo Black

Watercolour and Black Card

Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Overlay pen

Acetate - from Sara Signature Flutterby collection

Dies - Botanical Butterfly, Trio of Wings, Simplistic Sentiments from Sara Signature  Flutterby Collection

I started by masking off the bottom of a piece of watercolour card, as I only wanted the colour on the top. I used a bit of wax paper and low tack tape.

Next, I sprayed some of the Mix Media inks onto my craft mat, then using a sponge applicator, I mixed them with some glycerine to blend for the background - creating this lovely warm orangey colour.

I used more of the sprays, but this time mixed them with a bit of gesso and some Magi Blend, because I wanted to paint them onto the printed acetate. It's hard to see on the finished picture, but one of the layers of the large butterfly was made from this. 

I also used this mixture to stamp onto the background. 

I then stamped over this with Memento Tuxedo Black - stamping more than once each time to get different depths of colour.

The background was mounted onto black card, and I used a thin black ribbon across the bottom of the inked part to define the edge. 

The die cuts were covered with Clear Sparkly pen, and both the large butterfly and the sentiment have a layer cut from the painted acetate.

Haven't had a chance to craft and get messy for a while - so not sure when the next post like this will be - but I will have hopefully have some quick cards to share in the meantime.

Take care

Cxxxx 

Bright and Beautiful - and a little quirky!!

Morning! Hope you are all well. The rain has finally arrived here - very welcome for the garden - and for just freshening up the air!!

The lovely Sue Baker is on Hochanda at 6pm with a fabulous new launch of some gorgeous texture pastes. Haven't got my hands on them yet, but thought I'd share another of the makes I did for my DT application. This was is VERY bright and a little quirky - and very different from my altered vase - but I kind of like it!!

What I used:

Starlight Paints - Hot Pink, Mediterranean Sky

Mixed Media Ink Sprays - Fuchsia, Light Blue, White, Sunshine

Stencil - 25cm x 10cm - Baby BubblesSmall canvas

Magi-blend solution

Gesso

Buttons

Prima Art Basics - Heavy Body Gel

Bottle tops and other embellishments from my stash

Pebeo Deco Matt - Naples Yellow, Lemon

Distress Oxide - Seedless Preserves

Visible Image sentiment stamp

I started by mixing the Starlights with white gesso for the background.

After applying the paint, I spritzed with water for a smoother finish.

For the next part I used an old cardboard box so that the spray didn't go everywhere. 

I then sprayed the canvas with Mixed Media Inks - Fuchsia, Light Blue and White. 

And stood the canvas up in the box so it dripped down. 

I dry brushed a bit more of the gesso mix over the top to lighten it up. 

 Then sprayed again with the White spray, before blotting with kitchen towel.

Structure paste was applied through the stencil, and I didn't need to colour this - it seemed to absorb the colours from the canvas - probably because I was too impatient to wait for it to dry properly.

Next step was to add the embellishments - I used heavy body gel to make sure they wouldn't move. I filled a couple with the gel too, so that other embellishments would sit on top rather than sinking in.  

I went over these with white gesso.

And as I didn't have a yellow Starlight paint, I mixed the Sunshine spray with gesso. 

Using Magi-Blend and the Fuchsia and Mediterranean Blue Starlights , I mixed a purple spray which I spritzed over the whole canvas.

At this point, I wasn't happy with the yellow - so had to dig into my stash and use Pebeo Deco Matt paints to liven up the canvas. 

I painted the same paint onto a piece of white card, and used this to create the butterfly, and to stamp the sentiment. 

The finished canvas is very in your face - but I think it fits the sentiment!!

Don't forget to tune in to see Sue on Hochanda at 6pm and 8am today - and also for 9am, 1pm and 5pm tomorrow. 

Take care,

Cxxxx