Always Travel In Style

I could not resist participating in Soartful’s challenge this week as the image is stunning.

For me, travel in this particular era in history has such an air of glamour, although I’m sure that any travel outwith First Class would not be particularly glamorous.

Hidden Jewels

A few months ago I received ARTchix “Exotic Jewels” as part of my DT package from The Altered Element. Previously I made a Gothic Arches book, “Free Spirits” but as I had so many images leftover I wanted to make something else. This idea came about through trying to recycle packaging and making use of scraps.  When I received ribbons from The Altered Element, packaged inside a wax paper envelope, I carefully laid it aside as I knew it would serve a purpose at a later date. So the idea that popped into my head was to make some mini cards and tuck them inside the envelope as a little gift idea.
The size of the cards are  approx a standard card cut into half  but I used scrap card.
Packaging - Slightly scrunched the bag before applying copper acrylic paint. Layered an image to black glitter card. To seal, add a dab of glue and then add any form of embellishment as a form of decoration.
 Stamped directly onto the mini cards (cardstock I used has a lovely texture to it), layered all images onto black glitter card, added scraps of flocked papers, gold organza ribbon and black lace (lace and ribbon available from The Altered Element).

It’s probably fair to say that not everyone would appreciate mini cards with Exotic women but any image could be used.

Note – although I did not make individual envelopes for the cards, it would be easy enough to do so, or they  would be handy to use as an alternative to a gift tag or to pop inside a favourite book that you are passing onto a friend.

We Want You! The Stampsmith Challenge Site

On October 1st there is a new challenge site in town, The Stampsmith Challenge site.  There will be two challenges per month, the 1st and the 15th. To make it easier for people to join in on the fun, for the first challenge you may use whatever stamp(s) you have in your stash – hopefully that will include a stamp from The Stampsmith. There will also be a prize to be won so pop along to the site now to read the guidelines but remember, make a date in your craft diary for 1st of October 2010 to discover the theme for the first ever challenge from The Stampsmith!  Lynne x

Take me I’m yours

Feel free to take this badge and use it as a reminder of The Stampsmith Challenge

Film Noir

June’s theme of the week at Dezinaworld Spotlight Challenge is “lavender and any other colour”. I had just the perfect image from June’s “Painted Ladies” collage sheet.The actual image led me to select black as the other colour. My imagination might be in overdrive, again, but she looks like a leading lady in a Film Noir. I turned down one corner of the main “Paris Nights” paper (which is flocked) and slipped a piece of co-ordinating paper behind it then added some bits and pieces.

Parisian Style

Louise selected the theme of Banners for Tag Tuesday this week. Instead of wondering what words would go on my banner I selected the stamp first. My most recent purchase is one of Crafty Individuals’ newest releases, CI-285. If you click the link you will see I cut out the two ladies from this generous sized stamp.
I cannot find the source for the decorative tags I printed onto white card which I then overstamped with a favourite set, Anna Corba’s Vintage French Labels. For the little banners I stamped the words with Studio G alphabet stamps (a must have), hand-cut and adhered dusky pink velvet ribbon over the seam. Very simple tags.

Messages of Love

This beautiful vintage postcard is the image provided by Soartful Challenge this week.

After printing the postcard onto regular white cardstock I got to work with scissors, emery board and Distress Inks to age them. Then I gathered various stamps (Oxford Impressions and Elusive Images) and used 3 collage images from Crafty Individuals. I planned on doing some more Image Transfers but decided at the last minute not to as I probably went overboard with this technique last week!!
 
Don’t you think there is something special when letters/postcards are aged and tied up with ribbon waiting to be discovered by another generation?

After stamping directly onto the postcards I added some little bits such as lace
pieces of textsome extra stamped elements.

Did I have a little story in my head as I made these postcards, yes of course I did LOL.

Auld Alliance

Art Creations Friday
On first seeing this Little Price I immediately had images of the French Court but as I studied the colours of his cloak it brought to mind the colour of heather and thistles so as I put the two together in my mind, France and Scotland = Auld Alliance. Don’t worry, I don’t intend to give you a history lesson!

I tried to bring French and Scottish elements into this piece. The base is bottle green velvet (recycled cardigan!) onto which I layered stamped image of thistles (Crafty Individuals) and Hero Arts French Text and a Fleur de Lys (Oxford Impressions) stamped onto artists canvas. The thistle embellishment (air dry clay in a mould and painted with Neocolor II and copper acrylic) and kilt pin represent a shield and sword, symbolising the bloody battles that were dominant in this point in history.

Flirtatious by Nature

Sunday Postcard Art’s theme, 1950′s Pin-Up.

The stamp I used is an image of a Varga Girl so technically she could date from the 40′s or 50′s but I’m sure it doesn’t matter too much, after all she looks like a 1950′s Pin-Up.

All stamps used are from Time To Stamp Glamour Girl sheet.

Published In Take Ten
I was thrilled to receive my complimentary copy of the Autumn Issue of Take Ten.  By coincidence the card published uses another stamp from the Glamour Girls sheet.
This photo was only taken for my own records so there is no fancy background

Note – Several people have asked if they can  sign up as a “Follower” to my Blog. I don’t have that facility but  I have now added to the sidebar, a means to sign up for e-mail notification. I know I tend to post on my Blog quite often but hopefully this will make life easier for anyone who does want to keep up with my posts. Many Thanks. Lynne x

Memories

Some years ago I started my first Memory Box , an idea given to me by my Mum. As I rooted around for an Upcycle project to make for The Altered Element, a wooden box was what I laid my hands on. This particular box contained a gift set of perfume, body lotion, etc, a perfect size for a Memory Box. What I really wanted to do with this project was to use Decoupaint Patina. Although I have used this several times before, I’d never tried it out on wood and I also wanted to use it in conjunction with a Tim Holtz mask.
Finished Box As I wanted an overall aged look I built up various layers of acrylic paint but first of all several layers of Gesso as this box was a deep blue which I obviously did not want, then antique brown, copper and cream paints. It’s really a personal choice but for me, I like to sponge on the paint and then rub away some colour with baby wipes.
This shows the lid with antique brown, copper and cream paint.
Now copper paint and some Old White Patina sponged on.
This photo shows the box lid with partial masking. Once dry I added Distress Crackle Paint in Tarnished Brass to edges of the box.
To embellish I printed out an image of the Eiffel Tower and used cold contact Image Transfer (my preference is for Golden Soft Gel Matt Medium ) and adhered image to French text (painted with copper acrylic). Laid a chipboard frame over the image and embellished with a Prima flower with a brown, fabric brad and cut a piece of stamped twill to add to the frame.

The Altered Element has a wide range of  acrylic paints available.

Thanks for visiting. Lynne x

Isn’t She Lovely?

 Arthur Jule Goodman
This image is the source of inspiration over at Soartful Challenge this week. As the image is so beautiful I decided to use it in my artwork. That is one of the great things about Soartful, you can use the image merely as a source of inspiration or you can actually use it in your work.

Image Transfer is my “thing” this week! After printing out the image and using cold contact transfer method, I painted the image with peach, pink and skin tones (I used Twinkling H20s), leaving little patches of white, then added bronze paint.
The butterflies (Crafty Individuals) are stamped with Timber Brown Staz-on, onto the back of the image. After painting white tissue paper with gold paint I stamped onto that with Hero Arts French Writing stamp, layering parts of the tissue behind the image. The card is covered with texture wallpaper which I painted then just a matter of adding flowers and a cameo made with a mould and air dry clay.