From Russia With Love

Staying with a travel theme, this time, Russia. For this week’s DT artwork for The Stampsmith I used two stamps from the From Russia With Love um plate. The oval photo is Alexandra and Nicholas and the other stamped image is an invitation to a masquerade ball featuring a performance by Nicholas’ last lover before marrying Alexandra.

The base colour on the canvas  is Raisin Adirondack Colourwash applied with a baby wipe. Once dry I adhered an ornate patterned napkin/serviette.  The last time I used Golden Glass Bead Gel  (available from The Altered Element)  I applied colour using Alcohol Inks but this time I mixed Adirondack Raisin Colourwash into some of the  Glass Bead Gel then applied this to the edges of the canvas.  On drying I was amazed that it still retained such a depth of colour. I kept the embellishments on the actual canvas to a minimum using only a button, piece of sheet music and some trim.

(Gold velvet, used in the background, is available from The Altered Element )

Grand Tour

When Debbie Kaste asked if I would like  a die cut of a shadow box, well I could not resist.  Debbie cut the shadow box from double sided cardstock so all I was required to do was some assembling and then decorate.

There is so much room to play with that I was able to use some of my larger travel theme stamps. Even then I would say I held back from adding more to the shadow box as I did not want to completely obscure the lovely cardstock.

Debbie, thank you so much for allowing me the chance to have a play with something different.

Gathering Flowers

Gingersnap Creations’ Spicy Challenge “Found Items” caught my eye as I do like to incorporate found items into my artwork.

The main found item is the child’s wooden hanger. Unfortunately it is not vintage so I distressed by sanding then painting with Stucco emulsion and stamped with Prima script and one of the stamps from Laura Ashley Blossom set before adding Distress Crackle paint.

The fabric is Aida which I distressed and stamped onto using the same Blossom stamp. Then I stitched a piece of sheet music and net, trapping some pressed flowers underneath. I pinned a vintage, porcelain brooch to the girl’s hair then embellished the piece with more pressed flowers. Finally stitching some cream crochet lace and old buttons to create the hanging.

Update

Thank you to Gingersnap Creations for selecting “Gathering Flowers” as one of the Ginger Gems for the “Found” challenge.

Absolutely over the moon to be a Ginger Gem for the second time this year.

Fleur

Serena must be one of The Stampsmith’s most recognisable image. There are two Serenas available, both equally beautiful.  Whereas with some of  The Stampsmith’s single unmounteds you may need to order directly from them, it appears that with the Serenas they are readily available to purchase within the U.K.

I was aiming for a dreamy quality to this hanging to match the faraway look upon her face.

The colour scheme was centred around some lovely fabric my friend Jack sent to me for Christmas. As with previous hangings, the base is artist sheet canvas which I then cut to required size, distressing the edges  and painting with emulsion paints. To soften the emulsion I applied the colours in layers using sponges, baby wipes and cloth to soften the colour as I worked.

How Many Candles?

A quick post this Monday which I am dedicating to my sister as today she celebrates her 50th birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER !!!!!!

Art For Art’s Sake

I received 6 children’s building blocks for the Upcycle Challenge set by Lynne for The Altered Element DT. The previous artwork using the blocks can be viewed in the posts:- Bird Brain, Time To Move Forward and Sirens.  Lynne, thank you for the challenge I had such fun working with the building blocks.

The theme for my final block is Art.

To prepare the block I sanded and then a layer of Gesso. Now the fun commences. Using baby wipes I applied a heritage green emulsion paint. Wiping away some of the paint allowed the original base to show through ever so slightly. Before applying various Distress Crackle Paints I stamped directly onto the cube using art related stamps. 

Side One -I stamped a ruler onto watercolour paper and glued it around the cube. For each face of the cube I stamped brushes and pencils tucking them behind the main images. Stamped Girl With A Pearl Earring (another favourite painting of mine and also a favourite book) onto watercolour paper to give it an aged and distressed appearance to the image.

Side Two – After stamping the paint tube and applying watercolours I then applied acrylic paint to imitate paint oozing from the tube.   Also dipping the ends of the stamped brushes into acrylic paint.

Side Three – Stamp word onto watercolour paper. I used silicone glue for any images that I wanted to pop  out more.

Side Four – Again elements are  repeated but using different colours.

On top I squeezed a mini tube of watercolour paint and allowed the paint to harden. After applying to the top I added more acrylic paint, once again mimicking the appearance of it dripping down the sides.

Supplies

Gesso, Emulsion paint, Various Crackle Paint (Ranger), Stamp Credits – The Artistic Stamper and Chapel Road Art Stamps (Girl With A Pearl Earring), Staz-on Timber Brown, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, silicone glue, acrylic paints, Koh-I-Noor watercolour pencils, watercolour paper and  mini tube of watercolour paint (use as an embellishment).

Several of the above products are available from The Altered Element

Modern Miss

As I have a fascination with Flappers and in actual fact that whole era, when I bought my first stamps from Oxford Impressions, well they had to include Flappers.  Over the past month or so I have used them on various occasions, greetings cards, mixed media and so on.

Here’s a sample of what I have been up to:-

This birthday card was made for a friend of the family who also has a love of the 1920s. After painting the card with a soft silver craft grade paint I then used LLB Retro Rose mask and black acrylic paint for the b.g. The other elements are a strip of fabric and handmade flocked paper.

As I cross-stitch I have quite a bundle of Aida. This particular Aida has a silver thread running through it. Other elements in this mixed media piece is a scrap of wallpaper and the same fabric as the card above.

Again familiar elements are repeated, the Aida and wallpaper but this time I also used a scrap of LLB Retro Rose vellum. Although the vellum has a silver design printed onto it, the text beneath is still visible.

A Spring In Her Step

As the sun shines, (yes, even in Scotland!) it seems appropriate to use this I Love Paris stamp (available as a single unmounted) from The Stampsmith.  This stamp has a feel good vibe, with it’s quirky design.  When making this week’s DT artwork for The Stampsmith I had in mind four cards presented as a gift idea.

Partial stamping of the image enabled me to cut out the Eiffel Tower and adhere to a tag.

Using designer papers enabled this project to be a relatively quick make, again making it useful if an unexpected gift was required

The colour choice is not my usual palette but I wanted to reflect an upbeat, summery feel to these cards.

Sirens

As a DT member for  The Altered Element , each month there is an Upcycle Challenge (Lynne sends each DT member an item from a charity shop and we are then required to upcycle by altering it in any manner we choose). For the first Upcycle Challenge I received 6 children’s buildings blocks. Previous Upcycle artwork can be viewed on the posts:- Bird Brain and Time To Move Forward.  I challenged myself to alter at least one of the blocks without using any stamping. Rooting through my supplies I stumbled across a small sheet of Bathing Beauty images which was ideal.

As with Time To Move Forward I decorated five faces of the cube.

.Prime cube by sanding and then a layer of Gesso.

.On all sides sponge Silver Lumiere paint and Golden Glass Bead Gel.

.Use silicone glue to add the Bathing Beauty images on the four sides add small shells and “coral”. Add a little bit more of the Glass Bead Gel.

I am sure you will have worked out what the “coral” is but if not, let me divulge. I like to purchase fabric flowers that are on stems and dismantle them as it is an inexpensive way of building a stash of fabric flowers in various styles. So whilst dismantling the stem I was left with blue/green plastic “things” which to my eye resembled coral and just knew that one day it would come in handy.

.Finally add a larger shell to the top adding crushed shell, caviar beads and another piece of “coral”. Once all the elements are in place drip a little touch of Bottle Alcohol Ink on all sides.

SUPPLIES

Gesso, Lumiere Silver Paint, Golden Glass Bead Gel, Bottle Alcohol Ink, Queens Dresser Drawer Bathing Beauties Clip Art, Shells, Blue Dewdrops, Silicone Glue.

A Reason To Celebrate

Last year The Stampers’  Sampler challenged readers to make Celebration cards. What a surprise to see that the two cards made it into the latest The Stampers’ Sampler. Looking at the “Party” card  I had to triple check that it was actually my card as they photographed it so well that I was doubting it was my effort! The other card, shown below,  uses the Mother and Child image from Oxford Impressions’ Soul Of A Rose plate.

This image would be suitable for a new Mother card, Mothers Day, Christmas, the list goes on.

I was just as delighted this time at seeing my cards published than I was the first time. Such a lovely feeling.