PaperArtsy Challenge

STARRY STARRY NIGHT

Hi All, this is my entry for the PaperArtsy challenge on their blog on the theme of alcohol inks and markers.

This was certainly a challenge as I haven't used alcohol inks for years...bought a few feeling all enthusiastic then I was distracted by the next shiny painty product and they were left languishing in a dusty drawer...poor, sad inkiwinkies!!

I think my technique is as dusty as the inkies as I did use several different shades of blue and a couple of different brands...Adirondack and Letraset... and I managed to blend them all into ome shade!!

So I mixed silver glitter with heavy gloss gel and applied it to the acrylic substrate through a Thats Crafty mini starry stencil....onto what would be the back of the finished piece. For those of us new to working on acrylic (2nd project with them for me) you work backwards. So the layer you want to be most visible will be applied first.

When the gel was dry I applied the ink using a blending tool. I then lost the plot a bit and dripped ink directly onto the substrate, then added blending solution, then let it dry and then did the same again! I ended up with quite a grungy background which I liked.

Next I applied some embossing powder around the edges of the triptych. I didn't want a neat look, more like snow on a roof and flakes being blown by the night wind... get me!!!

I then applied some silver paint through a word stencil and when dry I scribbled around the words with a black pen. I'd also embossed a cardboard christmas tree to which I added some sequins.

Silly me...I forgot to say that I attached some old book paper to the back of the triptych with matt medium!!

tadah!!

Thanks for visiting and happy messiness to you xxxx

LIVE LIFE LOUD

PaperArtsy Challenge #21

Hi Everyone,

This is the piece I have entered into the challenge.

I used the following products:

Canvas board

Fresco paints in Inky Pool

Concrete

Bubblegum Pink

Tango

 Eggplant

Yellow Submarine

Limelight

Glass Blue

London Bus

Beach Hut

Little Black Dress

Snowflake

Black Gesso

Archival Ink Pad in black

Andy Skinner stencil

PaperArtsy stencil 020 Emma Godfrey

Grungeboard letters

Glue

To start I covered the board in black gesso. This is my go to gesso as I find it easier make a project lighter rather than start of with a white background although with this technique it does not matter what your base colour is within reason. Apart from canvas board I love using cereal packets and I don't always gesso them so sometimes my background will be grey or kraft coloured...all work.

An apology here for the poor photos. I started this project as a quick run thru for a friend, so was not intending to blog it. Then I thought I may as well get more blogging practice in!!

Also a big acknowledgement to Seth Apter and his fabulous techniques and inspiration. I now 'sethify' on a frequent basis! See...I even invent new words!! OK back on track...

Right once the gesso was dry I picked two colours to do my background. I find that using a dark and a light colour work best for me.I used Inky Pool and Concrete. I poured a litte of both directly on the board and spread them with my brush, trying to keep them in two distinct areas. I then scribbled through the paint with the end on my paint brush...very randomly.

I repeated this process for another two layers, alternating where I put the paint, ie, dark on light then light on dark. At this stage it won't look like much but keep going...

Next I put a little of each paint onto pieces of embossed wallpaper, roughly brushed the paint over it and then dabbed the paper onto my painted board,,,,again, in a random pattern. I also used corrugated card. I alternated applying the colours until I was happy with the background.

Next I edged the board in black using the archival ink. I stencilled stars onto the background using Snowflake after which I stencilled the figure using Little Black Dress.

I then painted the stars in a variety of colours and some grungeboard letters that would be part of my quote.

Finally I used a black pen to scribble round the stars and parts of the background and glued on my quote....Tadah!!

Thank you for popping over and having a look. 

Happy messiness to you all xxxx

Deligeli Cans

DELIGELI CANS

Hi Everyone!

So how often do we look at sundry items and think 'ooo....I could do something with that!'? I expect we all have our favourite things too. Mine is coffee cans. Having said that I've never been that happy with the end results until now mainly because I have club hands and don't have the flexibility needed to get the effect I want without making such a mess I give up. I still kept on collecting the cans though!!

Then I met the latest love in my crafting life...deli paper. It's brilliant and cheap which is also brilliant! I initially bought it because I had seen other crafters using it with their Gelli plates and I adore my Gelli (called Flopsy) so she needed this. I tried it and fell in love...again.

So why do love it? because it is thin, between tissue paper and copy paper I'd say, it is easier to press into the design of my stencils. It has a semi translucent quality so good for layering. It's stronger than tissue paper so, for me, easier to stamp on and paint without disintegrating into a mucky mess. I also use it, as do others, as scrap paper for cleaning my brayer, stamps and Flopsy. And finally it is cheap...see I am repeating myself, because I loves cheap!!

Needless to say I keep all the paper I use for cleaning up stuff which brings me back to my coffee cans which I use for storing my brushes, pencils, markers etc. Also I have got to tidy my craft room....so I can get in it again...not joking either. So, of course, rather than tidying my craft room I decide to decorate the coffee cans, which will make really useful storage, for when I tidy my room. Right, on with the make.

INGREDIENTS

Deli paper

Coffee cans

White gesso

Black Archival ink

PaperArtsy Fresco paints

Dylusions acrylic paints

Black and white marker pens

Matt medium

A selection of PaperArtsy stamps

I used deli paper that I had saved from previous projects and I cut it to fit the coffee cans which I had painted with gesso.

Whilst the gesso was drying I did some stamping onto the deli paper. Some of the stamping I did with paint and some of it with ink. Here I also used my gelli plate. I brayered the paint on to it and then applied the stamp to the paint.I find this easier than applying the paint to my craft mat as I find I get a smoother layer of paint. Also I then use deli paper to wipe up the remains of the paint and so have more paper to play with at a later date.

I then doodled with the marker pens. When all the stamping and doodling was dry I used the matt medium to attach the paper to the cans and I put a coat of matt medium over the top as well to seal everything. The deli paper did wrinkle in places which I think was due to my technique but I rather like that effect although its not very noticeable.  I also put a bit of black gesso around the top and bottom rims of the cans and painted the lids with black gesso. 

I really enjoyed making these as it was really easy and relaxing as they did not have to be perfect. they will be used to store my beads, shells and beach glass....and I will need more cans....happy days!!!

If you have read this far, thank you very much and I hope you all rush out and buy deli paper!

Cheers and messy crafting to all xxxx

Tricia