Two for the price of one

Had an idea for this one for a little while

opened my box of this and that and a piece of lace happened to be on top of some hessian

a look I have always liked

so I made a couple of small pieces 

I kept one and the other went off as a raffle prize

PRODUCTS USED:

All Finnabair (Prima Marketing)

ART BASICS : 

3D Gloss Gel / Heavy Body Gel / Heavy White Gesso / Soft Gloss Gel

ART ALCHEMY 

ACRYLIC PAINT : 

Metallique Midnight Sky / Metallique Rustic Brown

METALLIQUE WAX : 

Bronze Age / Vintage Gold / White Gold / 

Opal Magic Turquoise Satin

ART EXTRAVAGANCE : 

Patina Effect Paste

Glitter Set - Cariribean Sea

*****

LOVIN' SPOONFUL

Had this one on my table for ages

got the idea in my head to do something in burgundy & gold

but that was as far as I got

trawled Pinterest and came across something similar to this

but I wasn't pleased with how it was turning out

so did a bit

left it a bit

did a bit more

and left it again

Got fed up of it hanging around so grabbed my boxes of metal bits

knew I did not want flowers of any kind 

so just picked random circular bits

When finished it still needed "something" so went with glass glitter

but am thinking I ruined it

looks okish from a distance so it is on the wall

when the light hits it it really looks sparkly pretty

PRODUCTS USED :

Finnabair (Prima Marketing)

ART BASICS : 

Heavy White Gesso / Soft Matte Gel / Heavy Body Gel

ART ALCHEMY 

ACRYLIC PAINT : 

Blackberry / Ancient Coin / Steampunk Copper

METALLIQUE WAX :

Vintage Gold / White Gold / 

ANTIQUE BRILLIANCE :

Amethyst Magic

OPAL MAGIC :

Royal Robes

ART INGREDIENTS :

Glass Glitter : Violet

Where the poppies blow

Bet you all thought you'd never hear me say this

I didn't think I'd ever hear myself say it either

but

I am really happy with how this one turned out!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely nothing like I had planned in my head for months and months

but one of those projects that evolves as you create

one idea doesn't work but inspiration comes calling and takes you in another direction

problems to overcome ... those poppies very nearly just about tipped me over the edge - from making them in the first place to getting them to sit right in the little tubes

Up close they look utter rubbish but from a distance, and if you squint a bit they just about pass muster as a poppy

besides, I have told you they are poppies, so you have to believe me

Did not want the gold lids on - was adamant there would just be the glass tubes

but just could not find a way of securing the poppies in place

so, with lots of help from Phil, a solution was found

and now I am really pleased those lids went on

Yes, I know, there is not a poppy on the planet that looks like them

but they are a new hybrid you see

a Tatteredrocks Wild Poppy

very rare 

so rare there will only ever be 7 in existence

Am so very cross with myself for getting the quote wrong though!!!!

Checked so many times and still got it wrong

it should, of course, read

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

and, of course, I only realised when Phil asked if I was sure it was "blow" and not "grow"

got a bit stroppy and snapped that of course I was sure and found the poem to show him

that's when the air turned blue

and my heart sank

so apologies for the misquote but, stuck firmly in place, there is nothing I can do

I think I know how it happened ... I knew I had 7 tubes so somehow distorted the quote in my head to give me 7 words as I originally intended to have one word on each tube 

The background is intended to represent the engraved memorials at the war grave cemeteries ... the crisp and precise marble engraved with so, so many names

and the tubes in a row to represent the lines and lines of crosses and the formality of how the cemeteries are laid out

Then the foreground is to represent the fields where the poppies grow wild and randomly and, in my mind anyway, the two extremes merge 

Early for Remembrance Day, I know, but we should not remember just on that one day at that one hour

PRODUCTS USED :

24cm x 30cm stretched canvas

random plank of wood from hubby's random planks of wood box

Powertex - Ivory / Red

Powertex Bister - Green / Brown

Powertex - Paperdecoration

Finnabair - Art Ingredients - Art Stones / Mega Art Stones

Finnabair - Art Extravagance - Stone Effect Paste Pumice

Finnabair - Art Alchemy Wax - Metallique Vintage Gold / White Gold

Finnabair - Art Basics - Heavy Black Gesso / Heavy Body Gel

Odds & Ends - Wire / Green Florist Tape / Flower Stamens

Stencil but no idea which brand

Along the Foxglove Path

Have made this for my sister-in-law ... it is her daughter standing on her foxglove path in her garden 

(she has asked her photograph not be shown)

Second piece I have done on a sheet of perspex (acrylic) - totally inspired by a FB live project that Finnabair shared with us

(scroll back through the posts here if you want to see my other piece - Lord of the Rings on a Swing)

Apologies for the rubbish photo' - no idea why & unable to retake it as I have now handed this over 

PRODUCTS USED

Finnabair for Prima Marketing :

ART BASICS - Heavy Gesso White / 3D Gloss Gel / Soft Gloss Gel

ART ALCHEMY ACRYLIC PAINT - Metallique White Pearl / Frozen Berries Romance Pink / Opal Magic Pink-Blue

ART ALCHEMY METALLIQUE WAX - Vintage Silk / Amethyst Magic 

 Brushed iron

ART INGREDIENTS ART SUGAR - Pink / White

Finnabair - Daisy Stencil

Finnabair - Melange Pebbles

LINDY'S STARBURST -

Edelweiss / Moss Green / Alpine Ice Rose /Gator Gumbo Olive 

AYEEDA MIST -

Pastel Dirty Pink / Chalk Lilac

TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INK -

Shabby Shutters / Seedless Preserves

ODDS & ENDS - Lace / Cheesecloth 

Lacy Heart

Don't believe I am saying this but

I actually quite like this one

not something you hear me say very often

Loved making it

loved getting back to my much preferred colours and dark moody effects after all this experimenting of late with all things bright

So we have a happy blogger

for once!

Colours just don't show up very well ... it is much brighter than appears here 

ranges from green on the left through dark blue to purple with a few highlights of lighter shades of each colour and then a very few touches of pearly white 

Spray painted first and then highlighted with acrylic paint and wax

It looks flat in the other photo's but is really quite dimensional

Products used:

Finnabair for Prima Marketing unless otherwise stated

ART BASICS :  

Black Gesso / 3D Gloss Gel / Heavy Body Gel

ART INGREDIENTS : 

Mica Powder (diluted in spray bottles) -  Bottle Green / Frozen Lake / Purple /Opal Magic Green / Opal Magic Lilac / Rust

LINDY'S STARBURST :

Jazzy Jivin' Purple / Voodoo Violet Blue / Frosted Forget-me-Not

Cowabunga Copper / Frolic in the Forest Black

Afternoon Denim Delight / Mountain Lavender Gold

ART ALCHEMY :

Acrylic Paint - Metallique Deep Waters / Metallique White Pearl / 

Opal Magic Violet-Green

Metallique Wax - Aged Brass / Bronze Age / Rich Copper / Amethyst Magic

Opal Magic - Blue Velvet

ODDS & ENDS :

Half a polystyrene heart

Tim Holtz Stencil :THS074

Scraps of lace

Heart of Stone

Set myself a few challenges with this one

- leave lots of white space (EEEK!)

- use pastel colours

- use Finnabair's Impasto Paints (which scare me more than the texture effect paste!!!)Art

- use one of Finnabair's texture effect paste sets (which, apart from the rust set all scare the life out of me!)

- don't use metal (failed on that one as I had to use a few metal cogs)

- don't use glass glitter, glitter, micro-beads or art stones (teeny-weeny minor fail here!)

Something very different for me and not yet quite decided if it is headed for the Box of Failures or not. 

Keep glancing up at it and thinking "oh, that's ok" and then glance again and think "oh, what was I thinking?!"

Have to admit to my feelings changing about it the moment someone walked up behind me whilst I was Being Creative and said, "you've messed that up then" ... er, actually I didn't think I had at that point!!!!

Wanted more "dripage" but couldn't get what I had in my head to work so decided to just let it be rather than risk messing it up even more

Deep breath & Finnabair's texture paste applied to the heart 

The texture you get with these pastes is amazing ... really rough and gritty

Didn't have enough mdf / chipboard cogs so used a few metal ones despite my resolve not to ... not beating myself up too much though as you can't really tell which are which

Thought this was finished last night but wasn't quite convinced & when I came down this morning and saw it on my desk it just looked dull and flat so I added a very few sequins - you know those that come in a little bag attached to a blouse that you buy and the sequins on it invariably fall off but you never bother actually opening the little bag and sewing them back on - well, I used those!  A few clear transparent but sort of shimmery ones and a few a funny shade of blue - lifted it just enough I think

Products used :

ART BASICS

Heavy White Gesso

3D Gloss Gel

Light Paste

ART ALCHEMY

Impasto paint - Jade / Heather

Acrylic Paint Metallique - Crocus Fields / Frozen Berries / Dark Velvet (swoon) 

Mermaid Teal / White Pearl / Emerald Green / Ice Queen

ART EXTRAVAGANCE

Texture Fantasy Set - Northern Lights

LINDY'S 

Starburst Spray - Frozen Jack Frost / French Lilac Violet 

Jazzy Jivin' Purple

TIM HOLTZ 

(you know, my friend Tim!!!)

Distress Ink Pad - Dusty Concord

Mini Stencil THMS026

Heading back

Heading back!

ah, but to where?

THE DARK SIDE !!!!

my affair with all things bright has peaked

put off a little by various negative comments by those who have seen this and the CD project in real life

Yeah, yeah I know I shouldn't let it get to me

but maybe I was just looking for an excuse to revert to all things dark and grungy

So, short and sweet post just to record my Close Encounter 

with All Things Bright

Products used:

All by Finnabair for Prima Marketing 

ART BASICS

White Crackle Paste

Heavy Gesso Black

Heavy Gesso White

Heavy Body Gel

Soft Gloss Gel

ART ALCHEMY METALLIQUE ACRYLIC PAINT

Coral Reef / Fresh Orange / Lime Peel

Pure Sunshine / Vintage Rose / Romance Pink

Pink Blush / Red Wine / Dark Forest / While Pearl

ART ALCHEMY OPAL MAGIC ACRYLIC PAINT

Yellow-Pink / Aqua-Rose 

Violet-Green (there appears to be two versions of this colour now both with the same name - one from the original release of opal magic paint and one from the current new release)

ART ALCHEMY METALLIQUE WAX

Old Silver / Brushed Iron

ART INGREDIENTS

MICA POWDER

Lipstick / Tangerine / Sunny Yellow

GLASS GLITTER

Pitch Black 

ART SUGAR

Light Pink

ART EXTRAVAGANCE GLITTER SET

Luminous

8"x10" stretched linen canvas

scraps of lace 

more embellishments than I could count

Be Brave

And BRAVE I was !!!!

On three counts ...

a) using a small substrate ... in this case a CD

b) leaving all that free space

c) using very, very bright colours

EEEK!!!!!

For a grubby, muted, grungy girl who always aims to get as much texture and as many layers as she can on a piece of work this was a challenge

Very easy and simple in its composition & I knew I wanted a stark contrast of colour against a matt black background

but - WHAT colours to use?!?!?!

Automatically started gathering my favourites but then spotted a whole heap of little pots pushed to the back of my drawer

so I took a deep breath

had a mini-meltdown on FB

and went for it

with the safety blanket of my pot of heavy black gesso beside me

I did have to give myself a quick slap as I found myself reaching for other paints & waxes & began to dull it down & also reaching for my stencils & 3D gloss gel to jazz up the background but rather than keep tweaking I decided to call it a day and go with my original plan

 So,  yes, it is hanging on the wall but looks VERY out of place amongst my more usual work - am quite pleased with it so there it will stay

Products used:

All Finnabair for Prima Marketing

Art Basics

Heavy Black Gesso / Heavy White Gesso

Heavy Body Gel

Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Metallique 

Lime Peel / Pure Sunshine / Fresh Orange / Pink Blush

Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal Magic

Violet-Green / Yellow-Pink / Pink-Blue / Blue-Violet / Aqua-Rose

Prima Memory Hardware Pearls

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk Stickers

Back to basics

Having not an ounce of ooomph right now

but still having the yearning to get down & dirty with the art stuff

I decided to just get out the products I enjoy using most of all

those products that had me tingling when I first came across them

Grunge paste & embossing powders, crackle paste and rust paste

all the stuff I never imagined would enter my world

but which sent my crafting in a whole new direction

Was only planning on doing one little canvas yesterday

but was soon drawn back into my much preferred grungy & 

imperfect little world

Did this one first ...

a ton of Finnabair's crackle paste - left to dry overnight so you get the best crackles in the world

Sprayed with more ink than you'd think possible

spray - dry ... spray - dab - dry ... spray & dry some more

and so on and on and on until I was happy with the colour

Mostly used Lindy's sprays but have to admit to Tim Holtz's Distress Spray coming into the mix ... Chipped Sapphire, of course

Finnabair's modelling paste through a stencil & then sprinkled with Seth Apter's Baked Textures (which have a tingle factor all of their own) & then heat embossed until it splutters & spurtles ... 

can't beat a good splutter & spurtle!!!

One of my all time favourite products is Finnabair's original Rust Paste Set 

would rust up everything if I could 

Finn has lots of variations of these pastes out now but I am struggling with any of the new colour combinations ... just can't seem to get even a half decent effect - as my last canvas here will prove!

Not giving up and will just keep trying!

Enjoying myself way too much I decided to do another

wanted it the same but different

if you get my drift

Monochrome sort of called to me but it felt too "flat" so a touch of colour accent was deemed necessary

trouble is, what colour?!?!?!?!?!

Rarely use purple so purple it was

in and out of my comfort zone in one fell swoop!

Same crackle paste background - this time dried in a couple of hours as it was so hot 

Lindy's sprays again and then Tim Holtz's Distress Resist sprayed through my favourtie stencil ... once that has dried I used a silver spray by Sweet Poppy to make it stand out

Triple embossed mdf heart using Seth Apter's Baked Textures with Finnabair's wax stroked over to highlight the, er, hightlights

Various Finn's glass glitter, micro beads & mica flakes added 

 

 Then, because I was having way too much fun I did a third

just little 6" canvas boards so they don't take up too much room

Background this time was Finnabair's newly released Stone Wall Effect Paste

to be honest my heart sank a little when her new releases gave us four new sets of rust paste ... I have still to even open three of her previous sets -

yes, they scare me that much!

But I quite liked the look of the Stone Wall effect one so thought I'd give it a go

Not at all happy with it but got to start somewhere, right?

The embossed heart was one from playing earlier but was never really happy with it so, great thing about triple embossing is who is counting?

This one was probably embossed five or six times and I did slip a bit when stamping the bee but hey, imperfect grunge, right?

As Tim would say, "just get over yourself"

so I did