The Romance of the Ballet

Purely by coincidence all the artwork shown this week has been connected with art groups I am a member of.  Although I am linking this to Pink Saturday, it was actually made for Bella Creations. In the past I’ve talked about this wonderful group. Without going into too much detail, Bellas comprises sub-groups so there really is something for everyone. This particular piece was made for the Oh La La group with Helene (2amscrapper) organising all the challenges. Every month we are given an image and asked to create a tag. We all swooned when we saw the stunning image Helene provided for the July challenge.
The romance of the ballet was always forefront in my mind when making this piece. I wanted to keep a simple colour palette so limited myself to only accents of pink, although I did paint the artist canvas sheet Camisole Pink before layering the net fabric on top. My dilemma, when is a tag a hanging and a hanging a tag? On completion it looked too much like a hanging so I stamped some more ribbon,this time crowns onto sheer ribbon, tying it half way up and this makes it look more like a tag.This Oxford Impressions stamp struck me as being suitable for this piece as it could be the love story danced on stage or it could be that the story about love is the ballerina’s love affair with her craft.
The panel you see above was raised and tucked behind it are two tags. Dancer was also provided for our use along with the image. I stamped the word ballet onto seam binding, tying the tags together.
This is the second tag

This piece was so much fun to work on. If you would like to use this image in your artwork then you could always consider joining Bella Creations. Lynne x

Sweet Marie (GSC)

Joining in the fun at Gingersnap Creations has been long overdue so the weekend before last I settled down to a relaxing evening to make something for their  “Kings and Queens” theme.  Sometimes when we start to plan a project all the pieces come together with actually, very little planning, just pure luck. I had just the perfect stamp for this theme from Character Constructions (CC stamps and making art dolls go hand in hand) but of course she would need a gown. Well I did not need to look very hard as that same day a bounty of goodies arrived from my friend Cynnie which included a bundle of serviettes/napkins. One in particular caught my eye because it had  “Chocolat” and a French address, could this be anymore perfect for Marie’s gown, I think not. 
Marie was stamped onto watercolour paper and painted with washes of delicate colours, imagine the colour of French macaroons.

I know that vintage is my preferred style but now and again I like a little whimsy and CC stamps are whimsical in abundance.I trimmed the hem and bodice of her gown with pink lace .Her bodice edged with the finest French lace!
Her hair is so high she doesn’t realise she has the Eiffel Tower caught in it. I spy a feather, could there possibly be birds nesting in her hair?
From the tip of the feather to the hem on her dress, she stands at more than 12″ tall.

Button Up

It’s probably not even 24hrs since I posted the Daisy Gothic Arch yet here is another new post LOL. My final item for The Altered Element (August’s DT package) was due which is why I am back here today. In last month’s post ”Everything Stops for Tea” I used the Character Construction stamp set to create a whimsical tearoom. As Lynne from The Altered Element also included beautiful “Blushing Mushroom” buttons and May Arts ribbons I wanted, for this project, to include some of those along with the largest stamp in the set, the mannequin. It was also the perfect opportunity to use one of the tiny wooden spools I had in my stash.

I stamped the mannequin onto watercolour paper and also onto co-ordinating dp, cutting off the tea cup handle. Leave one “spoke” as this is inserted into the wooden spool. Paint the wooden spool and wrap some May Arts ribbon before attaching a button.
As you can see the dp has a design of buttons and stitches. So I stitched 3 buttons onto the paper and overstitched using embroidery thread. Lynne sells metallic threads if you wanted added sparkle.
I threaded some of the May Arts ribbon through a buckle (which was included in the bag of buttons). Silicone glue is the secret to this piece as it created amazing dimension. As the wooden spool is so light the card is able to stand-up without any problems.

Everything Stops For Tea

Unwrapping August’s DT package from The Altered Element I was delighted to see Character Construction’s Mannequin Cafe No 5, a bundle of May Arts ribbons and buttons with the utterly irresistible name of “Blushing Mushrooms”.
Lynne does the most amazing job at tailor making the packages for the DT members. I’m sure you agree that the above goodies are very “me”!
With the Character Construction stamp sets it really is a time to let the imagination go a bit wild, if you choose to do so.

I prefer to stamp onto watercolour paper and when using Character Construction, I get the best results when using Verasfine inks. Instructions - paint a 4 section tray with acrylic paint. To stamp the tea cups directly onto the tray I ink up the stamps on an acrylic block then carefully peel from the block making sure not to smudge the ink, place the stamp onto finger (so my finger becomes a substitute stamping block) and stamp directly onto the tray. Cut wooden trim to required size and paint.  Cut lace style trim to form curtains. Gather at the top and glue to top edge of tray. Add painted trim. Ink the upside down teacup (part of mannequin) and also the torso (this will become a tab). Fussy cut, paint, fold torso to form a tab. Gently bend the cup to add some shape. Glue to top of tray. Cut thin strips of lace to create tie-backs. Stamp one arm, paint and cut a piece of crochet trim (from a crochet coaster) as a cuff. Stamp teapot and attach to her hand. It will slip onto the fingers. Use silicone glue to attach arm to tray.

When I Grow Up

As a little girl I did not dream of becoming a Ballerina although they say that’s the dream of many a little girl. Did any of you have this dream? From The Altered Element (June DT package) I received Character Construction Mannequin Cafe set. Normally I would say that Character Construction stamps are on the quirky side but this set of stamps would be perfect for anyone who knows of little or even not so little girls who go to ballet classes or even anyone who appreciates ballet.

A trio of cards – the elements I repeated are cream and burgundy (organza ribbon, scraps from recycled velvet skirt plus flat back pearls, gems and sheet music.

Dream has vintage sheet music layered to cardbase and then cream organza layered on top. A paper rose is wrapped around a florist’s pin.

Ballet – a mask and chalk ink created the pattern background. Tutu has been stamped a second time, skirt pleated and silicon glue to create depth.

Close-up of pleated tutu

Ballerine – the fun with this set is to stamp the various elements and play around with the placement of the pieces.

A final tag

The burgundy organza ribbon can be purchased from The Altered Element. Lynne stocks organza ribbon in an array of colours.

Air Mail

I received Character Construction Queen of Tarts 11 stamp set as part of May’s DT package from The Altered Element . The set comprises the Balloon Dress, which is the largest stamp (previously seen on the “Love Is In The Air” post), a sentiment and a quirky elephant.

On making this birthday card I did not want the part of the stamp where all the letters are floating from the balloon so I used a craft knife to cut away this section of the actual stamp. There is more scope for versatility and as the stamp is clear, there is no problem matching up when I do require the full image.

Love Is In The Air

For this month’s Product Challenge from The Altered Element I received the following to play with:

Character Construction Queen of Tarts stamp set, Twiddlybitz Funky Attic House, Rusting Powder, Deko Ice in Crystal, Amber and Green

I was delighted to see a Character Construction stamp set in the parcel as I am beginning to develop a bit of a fondness for them. For the first of the Product Challenges I am using the main image in this set, the stunning Balloon Dress.

As you can see on the close-up of the stamped panel (photograph below) the image stamps crisply onto the fabric. I intentionally kept the colours muted for a faded appearance.

Supplies

Distress Inks:- Tea Dye, Crushed Olive, Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Rusty Hinge and Fired Brick

Cotton (I used old curtain lining), white tissue paper, Distress Re-inker Mahogany, Adirondack Raisin Colourwash, Versafine Sepia ink pad, green handmade paper, organza, remnant of net curtain, flat back pearls, heart shaped gems, decorative pin, tiny scrap of crushed velvet, green homemade spray ink, cork key.

Instructions

1. Sponge cotton with Distress Inks (Tattered Rose and Tea Dye). Stamp Balloon Dress with Versafine. Add colour to dress with Distress Inks.  Add a sweep of colour to represent the movement of the letters with Fired Brick.

2.Spray homemade ink onto tissue paper. When dry stamp Hero Arts French Script with Rusty Hinge ink.

3. Spray Raisin Colourwash onto tissue paper. Add some Mahogany re-inker.

4.Spray homemade ink onto lace panel.

5. Layer onto panel:- green tissue paper, green handmade paper, Raisin tissue paper and organza and stamped panel. Attach velvet scrap to panel with green decorative pin.

6. Embellish dress with heart gem and gold flat back pearls. Add more heart gems to panel and add the key. Hang from decorative hanger.

Where’s The Birthday Cake?

When Ali and Shar at Gingersnap Creations gave me the invitation to be their March Muse I was filled with excitement but what made it even more special, when they mentioned they would be celebrating Gingersnap Creation’s 1st birthday in March. With this in mind, my first piece of artwork as March Muse had to be party themed.

So I invite you to Ginger’s birthday tea party.

My parents were so good as they were sent on a mission to find me a minature tea set! Thanks Mum and Dad.

It’s In The Post

This card uses two Crafty Individual stamps (http://www.craftyindividuals.co.uk/). I sponged  Tesco metallic paint (find it in the children’s craft section) onto the card base. It is a pity the colour choice is limited as the paints create the perfect sheen. The scroll I stamped using heritage colour emulsion paint. I applied a wash of Rose Walnut Tintz onto the fluted panel  (I was lucky enough to receive a bundle from a family member who is a Printer) before stamping Santa and Sleigh. I inked part of a Paper Artsy stamp to give me the “25th”. It was then circle punched along with two circles punched from sheet music. All that was left to do was add some further embellishments and some sparkle using Sakura Stardust pen.

This is a quick card to make. The card base dates back to when I first discovered cardmaking. The package lay untouched as they were too glittery for my taste, however I liked it with the vellum strip I stamped and added down the middle of the card. All stamps are from Oxford Impressions’ “Winter Snow” (available from http://www.lbcrafts.com).  The little girl conjured up images of her lacing up her skating boots to have fun on the ice.

Another card using stamps from Oxford Impressions’ “Winter Snow”.  I sponged  Tesco metallic paint on the card base, this time a soft silver.  I painted a scrap of card with heritage colour emulsion paint and once dry I stamped the calendar stamp. I added some white caviar beads to give the appearance of the little girl standing in snow.

The final Christmas card uses “Belle” from Belle Epoque by Character Construction.  I covered the cardbase with holly paper and then layered vellum over the paper to soften the look. I could not resist dressing Belle up for Christmas by adding some tartan.  With the piece of sheet music and tartan she looks ready for  a ceilidh at Hogmanay!