WOYWW 394 - Cards Past & Present (but no future ... yet!)

SO here it is

Merry Christmas

  a couple of days early but what the heck!

Next few days will be a flurry of activity and then a few days to recover once it is all over ... all good fun, of course!

Nothing to show on my workdesk so my WOYWW post this week is somewhat fraudulent I'm afraid - hoping our head desker and much, much loved leader, Julia over at The Stamping Ground will forgive me as I have, literally, just cleared it all away now until "after the festivities" ... am well in hand with my birthday cards for next year so no immediate panic after Christmas to get the early January cards made ... or the late January ones for that matter ..

Or February 

Or March 

as they are all done!  

Well, practically - just need to matt them onto a decent piece of card as when splashing and splooshing inks around the reverse of the tags get awfully messy and only a fellow crafter MIGHT appreciate the somewhat arty backs.

Yes, they will be tags again.

My far preferred type of card to make.

But they will not go down too well with some.

Shame.

So no workdesk to share so thought I would share my Christmas cards for this year (that's the present part of my post title!)

For most of our friends I made tags (no surprise there then!)

SOOoooo, you know how you KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) when you have lots cards to make?

Well, Stupid couldn't manage that.

So, 27 stages per card later, we had 180 cards.

BUT - did manage to keep them flat for minimal postage!!!!

For family and close friends I wanted them the same but different ... so enlarged the tag and design and went with gilding flakes.

Never again!

Flakes, that is, not a larger tag.

 Then there was little great-nephew Henry's card

Not at all how I wanted it to be but figured he is 20 months old so will not be all that upset that it did not turn out as Great-Aunt Grubby Bee hoped!

Now they have all been received I can share the birthday cards (the past bit of my post title!) I sent this year.

All a variation of the same - just batches of different colours.

The panels down each card were Brushos (such fun!) and then simply stamped and embossed and backgrounds stencilled.

Girls got hummingbirds

Boys got clock faces or feathers

 Anniversary cards were plain and simple and 

WERE NOT TAGS!

So not really my thing but figured I can't keep foisting tag cards on everyone when they are not considered (by some) to be proper cards!

The flourish was stamped and embossed and the little red hearts just punched.

Then came the "In Memory" cards I sent this year.

But decided they will be my last as news reached me that a few people found them offensive and upsetting.

I wrote a very polite note in each explaining that I shan't send a card in 2017 but will, of course, keep those who would have received one in my thoughts.

Oh, not forgetting the cards made when Nephew Number One got engaged!

One on the left from us and the one on the right made for daddy to give

So that covers another year of card making

Around 300 in total

Plus all the extras I made for charity events or at workshops

Some of which I have probably blogged already so won't share again

On top of that will be all the canvasses, wooden hearts & panels and a ton of stuff I have forgotten

Have plans for next year so am cutting back on cardmaking to leave me more time for more arty stuff but it's been a full on year of a life full of art and craft and I can't wait to do it all again in 2017!

Only better.

WISHING EVERYONE A VERY

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND ALL THE BEST FOR

THE NEW YEAR

Another Finnabair Experience!

Seemed to take forever to come around but then, of course, was over in a flash!

Another ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS set of five workshops with the AMAZING Finnabair and this time was enjoyed with no nerves - just huge excitement!

First did two workshops with Finn back in June 2015 when we went up to Harrogate so I could dip my toes in the water - came away regretting only having booked two of her four workshops that weekend but it was a lesson learned so when she came closer to home in February of this year I had no hesitation booking the whole weekend and put my name down before I left for when she returned in November.

This time FIVE classes over three days so a total immersion in everything Finnabair and I LOVED every minute and would do it all again tomorrow.

First project on the Friday was an altered book.

Fin names all her projects and this one is called

"Rust Affection"

And I do have a great affection for her magic little pots of rust paint.

Everso slightly addicted to it.

With no desire for a cure.

On Saturday morning we made

"Heart of Clock"

And if we thought cutting out all the pages of the book was time consuming we had no idea painting everything black on this would take so long! Every bead, leaf & tendril ... but well worth all the effort!

Saturday afternoon saw us tackle

"Treasured"

Similar to previous canvasses done with Fin so I went my own way a little bit and made a slightly different layout.

Was pleased with this but wish I had used different colours.

Went for my "comfort zone" colours and should have dared to try something new.  Will do next time!

Sunday morning and a project I had been wanting to do since the first time I saw it 

"Artifact"

Knowing the story behind the design just had me wanting to do it even more!

The panels on the side represent magical gates (channel your Indiana Jones vibes here!) that open to reveal treasure that gives off an explosion of light.

Of course, being an artist there is no treasure greater than a paintbrush but I have to admit to a meltdown with this piece and a yell across the room to Finn to come and help me out and only by taking my paintbrush in her talented hands did she rescue this for me.

She says otherwise and it was just that I had stopped too soon - but I really thought I had messed up big time and just deflated.

Do actually like it now though - and that is real progress for me!

Sunday afternoon saw our last project

"Verdigris"

This turned out to be one of my ALL TIME favourites and something I enjoyed doing more than pretty much anything else I had ever done.

Still got nails covered in sculpture medium (but Finn did warn us to wear gloves - which I did, but they leaked  so I abandoned them and just went for it!)

The tablespoon was one of my grandmother's that I have used this past 27 years but, whilst thinking about what to use on this project, felt the time was right to let it go!  

So that very precious spoon represents my most beloved grandmother and the little spoon is me - wrapped together with wire and gauze forever. And the little heart balancing on the bowl of the tablespoon speaks for itself.

Can't wait to do another one of these - can easily see how it can be improved but I do love it just as it is.

And I have never EVER said that before!

Alas, Finnabair is not back near to me next year but I have signed up for the Applied Creativity in 3 Acts

workshops where Finn is one of the teachers - along with Marta Laprowska & France Papillon and I absolutely can't wait!

Will end by saying Finn has no idea the impact she has had on my crafting and art work ... I would NEVER have dared to use the word "art" about anything I do having been told over and over again that my art is rubbish or never quite right or would be better if I did this or that.

Well, this is what I do - and it is art - art that calls to me and gives me joy to make and it doesn't really matter if others don't "get it" - I get it and it changed my life.

Thank you Finnabair!

The Deep End of the Ocean

You know how it is..

Get an idea in your head and Make a Start only to quickly become disillusioned as you just can't translate it to the canvas.

Happens to me all the time.

But am particularly disappointed this time as I so ... SO ... wanted this to work.

But, hey-ho, have taken the huge ... MASSIVE ... step of hanging it on the wall anyway - but how long it will stay there remains to be seen.

I had, kinda, sorted wanted to portray the depth of the ocean but it just wasn't working.  

Sent a photo' to dearest nephew, Alfie who immediately saw something I hadn't even thought of ... turn it upside down to show distance, rather than depth!  Duh!  

I say, Duh! but I did keep turning it back the way I wanted for ages.

Worked on it some more.

Tweaked it. Pulled parts of it off and started again.

But finally decided Alfie was right and the ocean going off into the distance was how it was meant to be.

This has been hanging around for weeks now but I decided it was never going to turn out as I  hoped so figured it was time to call it a day.

SO ... PLEASE ...

Take me to the ocean for it's where I long to be.

Stuff used :

Art Basics 

Modelling Paste

Soft Gloss Gel - transparent

Heavy white gesso

Art Extravagence

Art Stones

Mini Art Stones

Texture Paste - Crackle Paste - clear

Sculpture Medium - clear

Distress Spray Stain

Broken China * Stormy Sky * Faded Jeans 

Chipped Sapphire * Evergreen Bough

Perfect Pearls Mists

Blue Smoke

Art Ingredients Mica Powders

Teal * Bottle Green * Deep Water * Frozen Lake

Purple * Lilac Opal Magic * Green Opal Magic

Art Ingredients Glass Glitter

Midnight Blue

Heartfelt Thanks

Wanted to thank a few people so had a bit of a marathon wooden heart making session.

Loved every moment.

Because this is what I just love to do!

Give me a heap of bits & bobs, a sheet of MDF and a whole load of inks and mica powders and I am one very happy bunny.

Next stage spritzing & squirting!

Then they are mica'd & a touch of glitter.

Am not a glitter person.

But sometimes needs must.

And this time just a little was needed.

Apart from the rusty one.

That will never need glitter.

Thank goodness.

Promised a few friends details of what colours I used so here goes:

I had a sort of plan.

Honest!

There was one large heart.

8 medium sizes ones.

And 9 little dinky ones.

I wanted them the same, but different.

Like that makes sense.

SOooooo ...  the medium ones were made up of colours taken from those used on the large heart.

Well, it made sense at the time.

And kinda worked.

Colours used on the large heart were:

Distress Spray Stain

Chipped Sapphire * Bundled Sage * Faded Jeans * Stormy Sky

Dusty Concord * Fossilized Amber * Evergreen Bough

Peacock Feathers * Broken China

Prima Colour Bloom Spray

Pressed Petal * Berry Wise * Mustard Yellow

Prima Art Ingredients Mica Powder

Sunny Yellow * Bottle Green * Teal * Frozen Lake

Purple * Deep Water 

Green Opal Magic * Lilac Opal Magic

You are going to ask which of those I used on the large heart, aren't you?

Er, ALL of them ... yeah, really!!!!!

So, on the other hearts I picked out some of the colours so they all sort of came together as a collection.

Colours on this one were:

Bundled Sage * Faded Jeans * Stormy Sky * Peacock Feathers

Chipped Sapphire * Broken China

AND

whichever mica powders matched.

Colours on this one were:

Fossilized Amber * Mustard Yellow *Chipped Sapphire 

Evergreen Bough * Stormy Sky * Faded Jeans * Bundled Sage

And again whichever mica powders matched.

Colours on this one were:

Bundled Sage * Chipped Sapphire * Peacock Feathers 

Dusty Concord * Pressed Petal * Broken China

Also matching mica powders.

Oh the mica powders are diluted in water by the way.

Or gin.

I often use gin as it evaporates faster than water.

That is an old photo' but evidence of my use of the gin!

Had never done ones this small before but shall certainly do more.

Colours here are:

Fossilized Amber * Mustard Yellow * Chipped Sapphire

Broken China * Bundled Sage

And yes, micas to match.

Figured the blokes would not appreciate flowers so got the rust vibe going:

Only colours used here were mica powders:

Rust * Copper * Bottle Green * Teal

and Rust Paste from Prima.

Tons of it.

I used Art Basics 3D Gloss Gel through the stencils.

Think that covers everything.

Do please ask if you want any further info - am always happy to try and help!

xXx