Friday 5 July 2013

Another glorious day

If only I could finish a project, well the ones I make at home anyway. Well I have! I saw a diorama on the Graphic 45 using the Secret Garden papers. I am not really a flowery person so I used the French Country which I had loads left from another project.



It was fun to do and Chris likes it too. I had to reshuffle things to get it in to the unit.

I am off to The Artistic Stamper to find out how to rescue a project that. Has gone wrong - a good one for me as I have a few!


Wednesday 8 May 2013

Another project finished

Not sure when I found the time to finish this as we have had a busy week so far and it doesn’t stop till Sunday so not much chance to do more this week, apart from on Saturday when I am going to another of Jennie’s workshops.

Anyway here is the latest finished canvas.

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The canvas was ready prime so I used Distress stains in green, pink and orange. Please don’t ask which colours as I am totally useless and always forget to make a note of them. Once dry I stamped in Vermillion Archival ink with a script stamp on one half and the they then covered the join/gap in the stamping. Topped of with Sissix die cut swirls and flowers made from the Tattered Floral die, a couple of butterflies stuck together to ‘fly’ and a metal one with a hint of alcohol ink to bring it together. Oh and, as you can see, I inked the edges to give it definition.

Thanks for looking

Sunday 5 May 2013

It is a glorious day here, hope it lasts.

I am still working on lots of projects, how I have changed! I would always do one project till it was completed but now I work so differently I have to leave stuff to dry and that gives me time to think about what I do next. I think it is paying off though I still get some disasters.

Any way after the workshop last week I ‘needed’ to make a similar something in blues. Though I loved what I did at the workshop I just had this need. So I did this, using the same techniques apart from the airbrushing.

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It is a box and the sides are the pale blue with more swirls randomly stamped.

I also saw a project in the display at The Artistic Stamper , I didn’t have the stamp but there was one in the shop. I had a bit of a problem with my Glossy Accents, think it must be getting old as it went a bit brown but I love the effect though it is not quite straight and the card was a bit too thin

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but it has given me the idea I wanted.

Thanks for looking

Sunday 28 April 2013

Alcohol and metal

No not the drinking type or heavy metal but a workshop at The Artistic Stamper, a very relaxed workshop.

We started with an Ikea mirror, painted it the made all the separate pieces. The colours are not what I would usually use but I love them with the green background.

photo

It looks a bit pink in places but is reds and oranges and is quite vibrant in real life.

I am off to my craft space soon and hope to finally finish several projects so I may be back later with some more.

Thursday 25 April 2013

So much for more blogging!

In fairness we have been busy with work for the last couple of weeks but I have been crafting. I even went to a couple of workshops but some bits are not finished or are in need of an addition or 2. Still I have got some to show A couple of Easter boxes, great fun to make and decorate, as usual thanks to the lovely Jennie for the inspiration. I ran out of things to do after the last morning workshop, I stayed on in the afternoon to make a couple of cards. I trolled round the shop and found these mini canvases and the metal time elements. They look good as an addition to the collection. Talking of the collection, this is how it looks right now. Still some room for more things yet! Having seen it now I really must change the bunting and I must find another option for posting to the blog, Blogger has changed and is no way useful at laying things out. More soon

Friday 5 April 2013

Where does the time go!

I thought this semi retirement would give me more time to do things but it is the opposite. I manage to do something in the craft room every day, in fact I was there at 8.30 this morning putting another coat on a book to be altered. I have managed to take some pictures of some of the things I am working on or have finished.

Some tags from a workshop at The Artistic Stamper, these are a few from those I made that day.

tags

Jennie taught us some new techniques using Distress Paints. I love how you can make them vibrant or subtle depending on how you use them. I have already used up a whole pot of white, I did have a bit of a leakage though and it has taught me to make sure the top is screwed on tight every time I use one.

Here is a little selection of the ATCs that I have added to my collection.

atcs

They all (except the bottom left) feature Alcohol inks used in various ways. The 2 on the right have now changed to being cut down a little, added to another ATC and embellished. The bottom left is Archival stamped onto glossy card and then Distress Ink carefully added round the edge. I managed to create a nice ‘halo’ effect with that.

Another bird box.

bird

I picked the blank one up in Morrison's of all places and decorated it with Graphic45 papers. Butterflies on the side and flowers made with the Tattered Floral die from Sizzix.

Finally I have been taking part in an online class from Andy Skinner. It has taken a while to get to something I like the look of and looks a little like the examples I have seen from other participants.

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These are the best so far, I have another 2 in progress which I am hoping will be better. KI am also working on the 2nd project in the class but not being very successful yet. Once I get something worth showing I will do so.

I am off to a workshop tomorrow at The Artistic Stamper, Jennie is expanding out knowledge of altered books again. Maybe, just maybe, I will get to take pictures in the next few days and show you but don’t hold your breath as I have a busy weekend and I come out of the semi retirement next week and have to do some work!

 

Take care.

Friday 29 March 2013

A bit more tinkering…

 

I have had big problems getting a suitable background to work, either they wouldn’t appear or the top was missing so this is it. I quite like the plain and simple and did manage to stretch to top banner to fit and get the text in. So now all I need to do is to find something meaningful to post!

Thursday 28 March 2013

An unexpected new begining

Oh how I wish I didn't mess with things. I decided to give my Blog a make over and it all went wrong so I have had to start again. The old blog is still there at http://althingspaper.blogspot.co.uk/ but all new posts will be here. Nothing much to show at the moment as it is all work in progress and some I am not too happy with as I am trying new techniques and they aren't going quite how I hoped. Never mind it is all learning and I will get something in the end. Catch you later