Wisdom of the Trees Part II (Somerset Studio)

Hello
This is Part II to this previous post, sharing collages inspired by trees and their wisdom which were published in an issue of Stampington & Co’s Somerset Studio last year.
Sharing today the final three collages.
Collage 4
As with previous collages, the trees were stamped onto lovely, delicate tissue such as dressmaker tissue.Infusions were the aid in bringing touches of colour, earthy colours as though they were pigments created from natural elements gathered from a walk in the woods.Collage 5Stained book text, again with Infusions, are a gentle layer that peeks through from the stamped tissue. Corrugated cardboard evokes ruts in the ground.Collage 6Layering fragments beneath the trees, again aiming to conjure images of layers of texture in a landscape.
I appreciate both posts were lengthy so many thanks for taking the time to visit both of the posts.
It is nice to be able to catch-up, sharing projects from some time ago, next I need to start to be able to visit blogs, something I enjoyed doing so much before.
Until next time,
Wishes
Lynne

Wisdom of the Trees Part I (Somerset Studio)

Hello
In the Sept/Oct 2017 issue of Somerset Studio I have a feature, Wisdom of the Trees.
This project was initially inspired by a Somerset Studio Art Call which I had previously submitted to, finding myself still inspired by their challenge of working with tags, I continued to play, creating collages with tags as the substrates.  I was enjoying this project so much, I made collage after collage and it was understandable that Somerset Studio were not going to give page room for all the collages I submitted but I can share them all here and will do over two posts.
A footnote to this… on each collage I add some journalling, not giving any thoughts, allowing the words to freely flow from mind to pen, to project. Little did I know at that time, some of those words would be transformed into Affirmations, featuring on Set 7 of That’s Crafty Lynne’s Affirmations stamps.  This creative path is something to behold!
I wanted a sense of textures and fragments, something I find, unconsciously returning to is the thought of tattered elements being caught on a passing breeze.  I wanted a sense of that on each collage, of different textures, swept together by that breeze and resting as a collage.That piece of green lace, was from a panel of pure white lace I received as a gift from a lovely friend Sharon in the U.S.A.  I stained it with Infusions and this fragment brought to mind fresh leaves or possibly a shoot appearing from the hard earth.Collage 2Infusions brought not only earthy goodness to each collage, they also brought variation as I wanted to create a series.As you can see, texture was essential, in fact in most of the collages it was the layering of various textures which created a sense of grounding for the stamped trees above. Collage 3All the trees are from Crafty Individuals, they surely create some of the very best tree stamps. I am always fascinated by the effects achieved with Infusions, simply applied over Gesso.On each collage, as I mentioned at the top, I journalled.  You can just about see some of the journaling beside the button.  What is very freeing is not taking time to consider penmanship or actual words, simply allowing them to flow. This is only half of the series, I have Part II to share another day.
In the meantime, many thanks for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Rooted To The Earth

Hello
Although I am no longer on the Crafty Individuals team, I still have samples made for one of their appearances on HOCHANDA.  At the time, we were asked to work with specific stamps, those that would be available via HOCHANDA.  Some of the stamps selected were tree designs.
Crafty Individuals have some of the most beautiful tree stamps available. If you do a search for trees, you will also see greeting cards, images and of course stamps or click HERE.
This is a #10 tag

Most often, when I am working with Infusions, I will stain a whole bundle of items and then store them.  Now, I’d like to present the image that they are stored in colour ways and textiles are separate from papers but please, erase that image from your brain, it is a hotpotch of Infusions goodness all packed into one bag!

Infusions appear on so many elements on this tag, it would easier to eliminate that which hasn’t been stained, if there is anything.

This tag is smaller than the first sample, a regular shipping tag.  It was only ever regular shipping tags I would use, buying in bulk but I do like the variation of working on a larger surface which Ranger tags provide.  I don’t know why, it seems impossible for me to source outsize shipping tags in the U.K., other than those from a craft company.

Stamped onto vintage dressmaking tissue paper and layered over a piece of torn book text.

The “scribbles” are journaling, of sorts.  I am enjoying, now and then, picking up a pen, allowing words to free flow.  I first tried this many moons ago when reading, for the first time, Julia Cameron.
It might seem strange but I read her books, it probably was in the 90s, when I was not leading a creative life, I did dabble in various hobbies, dipping in and out of some with cross-stitching and tapestry as the constants but it didn’t resemble the creative life I have now.
I was always very precise with my penmanship and I found that not only was it freeing, getting thoughts onto paper without filtering or editing and also, it was freeing in the sense that I was not being deliberate with my handwriting.  Little did I know at the time, the value of this for me in the here and now and although I do struggle with visible journaling, I realise that writing that has the appearance of a chicken having scratched its way across the project, is of benefit, as no one can read my thoughts.

Thank you for your visit and if you are in the U.K., have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.
Wishes
Lynne

It’s In Your Heart, To Live For Today

Hello
Not so long ago, Crafty Individuals released new stamps, amongst them  CI-468., which can be used to stamp a block of various sentiments/words, useful for creating speedy backgrounds but you can also zoom into particular sentiments to make them the focal of your project.  That’s what I decided to do for this heart.

The heart itself is ceramic, lovely and smooth but for someone who likes texture, it had to get the rusty, dusty treatment!
Live for Today was stamped onto fabric scrap which had previously been stained.

Layered onto corrugated cardboard heightens the textural elements with scraps of beautiful re-cycled waste silk sari ribbon.  I didn’t stain the sari ribbon, it is a beautiful oxblood colour.

Layered beneath the sentiment are three Bohemian Jewels.  They are from RELICS & ARTIFACTS and were just the perfect something to add.  They are available in various colours, you can view them HERE.

RELICS & ARTIFACTS Dresden Trim is what I edged the heart with, of course, also giving this the rusty treatment.  You can view the full range of Dresden Trim HERE.

To view what other creations are being made with Crafty Individuals stamps, visit Jean’s blog.
Thank you for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Crafty Individuals on HOCHANDA

Hello
Crafty Individuals will be returning to HOCHANDA on May 9th with two shows:  7 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Demonstrations will be from Lesley Wharton and this time, Jean Hardy will also be joining the shows.
If you miss the shows on the 9th, you can always view them on re-wind at HOCHANDA.
Wishes
Lynne

The Lone Tree

Hello
Sharing another sample, made recently for Crafty Individuals for HOCHANDA.
If you are interested in sourcing Crafty Individuals tree stamps, then please visit HERE.
This sample sees a That’s Crafty large, white/greyboard tag as the substrate.  They are invaluable substrates because you can throw so much media at them, you have no idea how much I saturated this tag when working with the Infusions!

This tag features a partially inked stamp from CI-287
Fortunately for me, there was a mishap, no one’s fault, the e-mail from Jean requesting samples was in my junk folder and it had been overlooked for some time before a tidying up session when I spotted it.  This meant that time was against me for making samples so you can imagine how thankful I was to have a stash of book pages, found papers, calico, etc that had previously been stained with Infusions.  This is why I always stain in batches because ultimately it is a timesaver when time is tight.
The book page had been stained too enthusiastically with Infusions so I flipped it over to stamp on the rear where there were some marks from the Rusty Car Infusions.

We were allowed to work with the crackle stamp on our samples, it came in useful for adding some stamped texture to some of the papers around the tree focal.

If you are a fan of Crafty Individuals, then look-out for their recent newsletter, featuring wonderful card samples from fellow DT member Florence along with a Special Offer.
Many thanks for your visit to this post.
Wishes
Lynne

The Trees

Hello
Sharing another sample made for Crafty Individuals (for HOCHANDA show).
This sample, which is a substrate of a That’s Crafty white/greyboard panel, sees me using one of Crafty Individuals new stamps,CI-460

The same trees were stamped onto Infusions stained book pages twice, tearing into panels, with a scrap piece of stained book text in the centre, with that lovely Whispers in the Wind stamp from CI-209.
That lovely piece of stylised leaf applique is a piece cut from beautiful lace panel gifted to me by my friend Sharon.  I stained it with Infusions. The other textiles were also stained, they look as though it could be Rusty Car they were stained with.

A scribbled, doodled border around the book page panel.

Book pages have been a constant for me, really since I started stamping.  Even with this detailed stamp, the text peeks through and I so love the extra layer that brings to a project.

Literally, a scrap of corrugated cardboard – no scrappy piece is safe from my grasp!

I still have a few more of samples made for Crafty Individuals HOCHANDA show and will share them over the coming weeks.
Thank you, again, for your time visiting here.
Wishes
Lynne

New Crafty Individuals Stamps

Hello
Crafty Individuals have released new stamps!
As always, they cover a range of subject themes.  If you are interested in any (or all) of the stamps, then you might want to visit the Crafty Individuals website where the stamps are being offered at a special introductory price.  There is a third off the normal retail price, for one week only!
CI-466 designed by Linda Edwards, Floral Spray

CI-467 is Build A Landscape 2

CI-468 You’re A Star.  This is the one I had a play with and will share my samples very soon.

CI-469 More Vintage Ephemera
Thank you for taking the time to visit this post.
Wishes
Lynne

Crafty Individuals @ HOCHANDA

Hello
The Crafty Individuals team have news to share that on Tuesday 28th February, Lesley Wharton will be demoing Crafty Individuals stamps and other products on HOCHANDA. There will be 3 shows, beginning at 10.00 a.m.
We were asked to make samples for the shows, this is one of my samples.  I don’t really know what to call it, it can hardly be called a book as there are no inner pages, so is it simply a folded tag, a faux booklet or maybe it doesn’t need a label!

The  #12 tag is a generous size to play, allowing room to play with textures on the cover. Infusions where used throughout, staining the actual tag and also lots of found papers – most often, I am working with mop-up/under papers and also staining sari ribbon and other textiles.
I was surprised how well the tree stamped onto the crinkled paper.  I no longer have the sample, it was mailed to Jean, so I cannot remember what type of paper this actually is but it is very crinkled.

This is why it isn’t technically a book, as you can see, inside there are no actual pages.
Since Infusions were launched, I fall in love with them a little bit more each time and they are just gorgeous when working with nature themed stamps.   It was the “pattern” of the Infusions which actually determined the path this project took because it conjured up a storm brewing.

The tag had an application of Grungepaste, I am very free with my applications, allowing texture to build which if you are aiming for perfect stamped impressions, it could be a problem but I like to use this as an advantage.  Those are all stamped trees but I played around, adding my own touches to make them appear more impressionistic in style, as though they were quick drawings in a field notes journal and not stamped.

Texture and layering without bulk, as does the stained lace which you can see in the photo above, the lace representing the ground.

This stamp was exactly what I needed for the upper corner, tattered and layered.

Thank you for your visit and if you manage to tune in to the shows on Tuesday, there will be demos, great deals and samples made by all the team.
Wishes
Lynne

A Peaceful Wish

With the countdown to the final hours of 2016, I just wanted to pause for a moment.
This past year has provided me with so many creative highlights which were made all the more special considering this year saw me time and again with enforced time away from crafting.
Creative opportunities are never taken for granted but this year I have been completely overwhelmed.  Two completely unexpected opportunities came my way.  Near the top of the year Catherine Moore invited me onto her Character Constructions D.T.  The first blog post I ever wrote centred around a Character Constructions project.  Never did I imagine, one day to be on her D.T.  I’ve had great joy in working with her fabulous stamps and the added honour of the invitation to collaborate on the Character Constructions 2017 calendar.  I eagerly await 2017 and continuing to work with Catherine Moore.
A more recent but equally unexpected invitation was from Sandra Evertson, to be an Ambassador for Relics & Artifacts.  In the summer, I was a Guest Ambassador, I could never have dreamed what was in store for me. My role differs slightly to that of the other Ambassadors but I cannot wait to see what 2017 will bring for me in this role.
New connections forged do not mean that old connections are not treasured.  I am thankful to so many who allow me to create with their products:-  Crafty Individuals’ Jean and Malcolm, Rachel Greig at Darkroom Door, Leandra at PaperArtsy, Chris and Sharon at Redlead Paperworks,  Laura and Graham at That’s Crafty.  It has been great fun creating with That’s Crafty’s own product range which they are expanding all the time.  A highlight was appearing with the D.T. in a Craft Stamper 3D Challenge.
Stampington & Company provided so many highlights for me this year that I really need to take some time to let it absorb.  It has been so momentous that it just is not sinking in.   Until this year, I had been incredibly fortunate to have been published time and again in a range of Stampington titles but this year was beyond anything I could have dreamed to be possible – I had my first articles in Somerset Studio, Somerset Life and Somerset Apprentice.
I keep anticipating that the bubble will burst!
Amongst my gratitude is to those of you who are friends, friends who I know I will likely never meet yet that does not detract from how we care when times are tough for each other or when we can celebrate any joyous news.  With my absence from blogland, I never expected to still have friends take the time and trouble to visit scheduled posts – thank you so much.  I cannot express how much it means to me because by doing so, it would open a flood-gate of personal emotions.
New Year seems to be a time of mixed emotions, celebratory but also it can be contemplative, possibly a time to gather our thoughts and reflect on what has impacted on our lives through the past year or a time to look ahead to what could possibly be in store for us.  It is also a time when people are more likely to feel the deep loss of those who are no longer physically present in their lives.
Here’s to the New Year, that it is kind to you and that good times outweigh the rough times.  With us all scattered around this world and in those troubled times, I also hope that 2017 has some peace in store for us, we could surely do with it!
Stamps by Character Constructions.
See You in 2017!
Lynne x