Melt Art

What a great afternoon out  I  had yesterday with  Avril of Mrs B's Crafting Addiction.  

We were lucky to get a place on one of Hels Sheridan's. Melt Art Workshops at 

 Crafty Corner in South Sheilds. 

This is  the Canvas I made,  all the techniques involved the Melt Pot.

Melted wax, Utee,  ultra thick embossing powder, paints etc, I did not need any invitation to get paint all over my hands, a common trait of mine. I was lovely to be among like minded folk and have time to play. Hels guided us through every step and the time just flew around the clock.

I don't think any of us wanted the three hour  session to end, and yes you can guess it went over time.

Thank you for stopping by, I do so appreciate the comments you leave.

Tag You're It for SCH

'Tag  You're It', is the new theme at Sugar Creek Hollow

Please pop over for  the details and see what we have all been making.

The base tag was a pretty patterned piece of card, but as I added  Frantage Rose  and Gold Embossing Powder to the top and edges,  this has practically gone from view. 

 The main  image  is  a Chapel Road Art Stamp,  this was stamped onto Fabric and given a hint of colour with distress inks

. All the other trimmings came from the stash.

Thank you for stopping by the comments you leave are always appreciated.

An Age of Steam

I took my journals away again in the caravan and some new Sheena Douglas Stamps.

I loved this image of the Station, I think it will be very useful for cards for the men in my family.

This page has a distress stained background and is random stamped, with a bit of masking in the corner. 

The colouring is water colours. I  lengthened  the track and the platform   a little with a fine black pen..

Here is another version using the same stamp sets

This journal pad has watercolour quality  paper, it gives a lot softer look to the image. 

Not so crisp stamping. But it also means a lot more water could be used on the  background, without damaging the surface. I added the surrounding masking after the colouring of the image and in case you wonder it was Vintage Photo Distress ink  [an ink that I would not be without] for the masks. 

We are now back home  and  to finish off this last trip, we did have our share of wet and rain this past couple of days. The wellies did have an outing and a tramp through the mud.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look, the comments you leave are always appreciated. 

I hope to catch up with you all soon.

For a Special Day

Over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges ,we were given our new theme--- make a

 ' Birthday card for Someone Special'. 

This one is for a dear friends special day coming up soon.  Fortunately for me she doesn't blog , no words are added to draw attention to another year passing, we know, but don't need to tell the world.

I have layered up the main focal image with a variety of papers, one distressed with  my blunt scissors.. The image is from  a Stampers Anonymous set, heat embossed to make colouring easier. I used a few layers of water colour paints to try to reach the colour of the flowers. Trimmimings added and its ready to go.

Please pop over to see what my design team sisters have been making and get all the details, including the prize on offer from our regular sponsor.

 We ask you remember we need to see a stamped image as the main focus.

Thank you for stopping by the comments you leave me are always appreciated.

Goodbye Frida

I think this will be my last Frida Kahlo page for a while.

 Thank you, Susi and  Valerie  at  Art Journal Journey for introducing me to her.

I can almost feel my friends having a sigh of relief, that I have --for now-- decided to move on to other subjects. Mmmm wonder what the folk at AJJ will have in store for us next month.

Again a random coloured and splashed background. A few stencils including the window frame.

Stamped Frida and  leaves,  a couple of fussy cut  birds.  I used  water colours this time for the stamped images.

Thank you for stopping by, the comments you leave me are always appreciated.
I am heading off into muddy fields again, with the family and the  Land Rovers.
Internet connections are not good, so it may take a few days for me to  get to visit you.
I have the wellies all ready to use.

Inspire and use your stash.

   

Time for a new challenge over at Try it on Tuesdays and we would like you to 'Use your Stash'.
Those bits and pieces we all have stacked up and cannot remember why we saved them or something we haven't used and is just sitting waiting for us to try out.

The technique I used here is Faux Leather and the link to Sheena Douglas where you will find a detailed 'How to do it'  I have used this technique a few times now and have never been disappointed with the result.

I decided to make a note book, starting with this A5 size piece, which was one of my first experiments with a new technique. This is the beginnings of my book cover, coloured with distress inks.

The panel to go on the front cover, Corrugated card [a piece of packaging] painted with acrylics, left over from another project.   I used my Tim Holtz doily stencil to give added texture then dusted it with mica powder when it dried.

Think I better show you the front now,  this is a picture heavy post for me.

I added a few bits and pieces from my stash of waiting to be used bits.
 The fussy cut bird is a stamp from Polka Doodles [I think].

Dried Marigold , Weathered wood and Shabby shutters distress inks were used for additional shading.

Are you still with me-this is the note book that is to go inside.

The papers inside are unlined and quite thick, many uses I think for this

. The size of the completed book is 6 x 4 inches approx.

I lined the inside of the cover with left over pieces of  graphics 45  papers  and made a slot to tuck the back of the book into. Making it re usable when the book is full. 

So this is how  the inside looks. Thank you for taking time to read this far down the page.

I do hope you will come  and see what we all made with our STASH  at  TioT's,

we would love you to join us this time.

All the comments you leave me are very much appreciated.

Frida's in pieces today.

As you can see its another Frida page from me today,

 well I do have an excuse to use the new stamp image I recently found.

This theme  goes on until the end of August over at Art Journal Journey and many of us are hooked on this subject.

The base page was  randomly coloured with  distress stains , before I delved into my pile of stencils, mainly using one that featured a row of houses.  As you can see,  Vintage photo was the colour of choice  for  all the additional shading .

Thank you for stopping by, the comments you leave me are always appreciated.

Celebrate

Another two weeks and a new challenge theme for us at Sugar Creek Hollow--

'Lets Celebrate'.
Please pop over to see what we all made and get the details.
I had an Anniversary in mind when I made this card. As you can see the trusty  Graphics 45 papers feature in most of the layers. My aim is to keep using this stash when I can, instead of just bringing them out to look at.  A leaf embossing folder was used to add some extra texture.  Additional shading was Distress inks, Broken China and of course Vintage Photo.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look. The comments you leave are always appreciated.

Journey's End

I started off this tag with the idea in my head to add something  more fitting to the words, like a car. 

However  my imagination   took over. The framed  image had the original center cut away, to make room for the face.  She  looks so deep in thought,  I think  she wondering how it will all end.

I think Frida is getting to me.

Well that's my version and I had no idea  or plan how the tag would turn out.

The base had previously  been coloured with Distress Stains.

All the images and stamps are from Stampers Anonymous.

The texture is Frantage powder, a mix of green and gold.
Additional shading is Vintage Photo.

The metal butterfly was rubbed and polished  with  gilding wax.

The theme for the August challenge over at Country View Challenges is 'Word Play'. Which takes me back to the beginning and the  words I wanted to use.

Thank you for stopping by. The comments you leave me are always appreciated.

Frida in the shadows

Another  Frida  page for the August theme over at Art Journal Journey
The inspiration over there is awesome, thank you  Susi and Valerie  who chose this theme and  for taking me down a path I may never have found.

I  am  so taken with this subject, that I  have managed to find a rubber stamp with her image by Lost Coast Designs.   I used stencils as a background. Stamped Frida a few times without re- inking the stamp every time. I liked the shades on the one I used as a mask, so included it as well. 

To finish off I used a sunburst mask and a very thin layer of grunge paste for texture, colouring when dry with metallic wax.

Thank you for stopping by, the comments you leave are always appreciated.

You are never to old to have fun.

'Make us Laugh',  is the new theme at Fashionable Stamping Challenges.

This is a card made for a friend who has as off beat outlook towards getting older.

I have my three old friends sitting remembering the old days.  This stamp I have had a while and do not remember who its by, age gets to us all.

So here we have Alice and Minnie who think they are to old to have fun.

While Tilly has the evidence stashed in her handbag, which  proves  the many adventures  the three friends have been getting up to recently  and it has  involved  more that a glass or two of gin and tonic.

I wonder whats in that handbag, do you?

The images are layered up on patterned paper etc. One piece was embossed  then rubbed over with an old Vintage photo ink pad to show up the textures. All the other shading was this shade.

I used water colours on the main image.

I hope you will join the fun at FSC this time. We have our regular sponsor Flonzcraft.

You will find all the details here. Remember we like to see a stamped image as the main focus of your entry.

Thank you for stopping by the comments you leave are always appreciated.

Frida on Friday

Another version of Frida Kahlo, this artist gets more and more interesting as I  gather more information.
Thank you Art Journal Journey for introducing her to me. There are many amazing pieces  to see here.
This page is another that started out on the computer, blending of images etc, then stuck down in my journal.
The border of leaves was stamped and the trusty stencil used to give a little texture. I am mindful of using stencils with grunge paste, spreading it as thinly as possible, so the book will shut. Once dry out with some  White Fire-Treasure Gold to give it a bit of a shine, applied with the fingers, much more control this way.

Thank you for stopping by, the comments you leave are always appreciated.

Wish you were Here -- for TioTs

Wish You Were Here is Try it on Tuesdays new challenge theme.

This theme gave us quite a choice on how to interpret this, holiday destinations, seaside, countryside etc .

Please pop over and see where we would all like to be.

This card was made for someone with a summer Birthday.

Yes, I used G 45 papers as a base, layering the images on die cuts. [Spellbinders].

The Bathing Belle is a Craft Individuals stamp as is the words.

I used water colour pencils to colour this. It was edged with Aqua and Gold  Frantage Embossing powder..

Thank you for taking time to visit me, the comments you leave are always appreciated. 

Troubled mind.

The Tag Along Challenge this week is 'Faces'. 

The base was coloured with Distress stains, a Tim Holtz product that I have been experimenting with recently. Dabs of stain [Antique linen and broken china] on the craft mat,  then the tag swiped over a few times till I liked the result.

This base  was random stamped,  using Stampers Anonymous images.  The mindful face was fussy cut and stained with the Antique Linen. I added a few swirls, I think this guy needs to focus and clear his head, there's a a lot going on in there.

I will  also  pop to over a  A Vintage Journey .  The current challenge is Stain It.
I was lucky to have been their guest for this theme, I hope they won't mind me sharing this tag.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look, I do so appreciate the comments you leave for me.

Frida Kahlo

When I read the new theme for August over at Art Journal Journey  was ' Frida Kahlo'.

 I thought Oops!  how am I going to manage a page in my journal for this.  However Valerie who picked out the theme added a lot of information. 

That and the links given by the folk at AJJ got me surfing the net to find out more.

I have to admit my page began on the computer, using a digital program for the background, Frida and the flowers at the front. I had a  paper napkin with the parrot and branch, just right after a bit of fussy tearing to add interest to the bare corner.

Out with the acrylic paints, blending a few  colours  to match the background and paint round the edges.

I used a mask and coloured the  grunge paste with the same shade of paint, to add some texture.

During my search to find out about Frida, I came across many quotes.

This is the one I used--'At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can'.

Thank you for the challenge AJJ, I enjoyed creating this page.

Also thank you for taking time to stop by, the comments you leave are always appreciated.

Carefree Holidays for SCH

'Summer Sunshine',

  is the new challenge theme for Sugar Creek Hollow.

As always our style is Vintage/Shabby chic, but we would like you to use bright summery colours.

My card using some bright holiday papers from Graphics 45 with a few extra trimmings is my

 offering this time.

I fussy cut the main focus lady and a few extra flowers, before assembling the card.

I don't think I need to tell my regular followers about the distress ink I use for extra shading----

------Vintage Photo.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, the comments you leave are always appreciated.

Just Stain It for--- A Vintage Journey

Imagine the excitement at Meggymay's place when the Creative Guides at A Vintage Journey invited me to be  a Guest Designer for this challenge. The theme is-   'Just Stain It'.

 Naturally I said 'yes please'.  I never need an excuse to get inky.

I decided to make a hanging for the theme. They make great alternatives to send in place of a Birthday Card.
This is the base layer. A piece of corrugated card stripped back in places, with some dry embossed card stuck to it to add texture

Next came the small wooden  frame. Both the base and the frame  were embossed using grunge paste, using  small areas from Tim Holtz and other stencils. When it was all dry it was given a coat of cream acrylics.

I have added the photo on the left especially to show you the space I was working in to make this project, as we were away in the caravan at the time. Notice I do cover the seats as, crafty inkiness on the surfaces is not a good idea.

To begin my adventure into Staining this piece. I splodged and swiped over the surfaces with the stains, no method, just random.
I was using Broken China, Vintage Photo and Antiqued bronze distress stains.. I did use some crackle paint on the frame at this stage, but is nearly all disappeared as I added more stains  etc. As you can see from the photo there were a few spaces that needed more staining and a bit more texture, out again with the stencils and grunge paste. Next I dabbed stains onto the craft mat, sprayed  it with water and swept the pieces over. I then sprayed them  directly with water and magically the colours seemed to blend together.

Nothing can beat giving this stage a helping hand, to get into all the nooks and crannies, dabbed the distress stain on the craft mat then used an old piece of sponge.

I gathered together, the detail pieces I wanted to add, including the Found Relative  Photo Card

After assembling the hanging, it did need highlighting in parts with a little Gilding wax and a dab or two of Picket Fence distress stain,  this was applied with the trusty fingers as I felt I was more in control of where it was going.

I wonder who holds the key to this relatives heart

At   A  Vintage Journey, they ask us to say how we have been influenced by the work of Tim Holtz in the piece we have made.  I have  a bit of a list here-- the inspirational pieces he makes---the tutorials---the products, which are so easy to use and suit my love of all things Vintage and Shabby Chic --the Compendium of Curiosity books with the techniques......................

I will not forget to mention the inspiration given by the Creative Guides at AVJ.-Thankyou all. 

Thank you for taking time to stop by, the comments you leave are all realy appreciated.