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WELCOME to my little arty world! Trying to make art is a huge part of my life ... love nothing more than messing around with inks and sprays and generally making a mess!

Saturday 28 December 2019

Christmas Sparkles & Festive Wishes

All cards and presents now received so able to record them here!

This is a long post but I wanted to put all the Christmassy stuff in one place

Very smugly had the cards all done and dusted really early (well, very late for me but really early for most)
BUT
then when I came to write them I decided they needed tweaking
SO
tweaking I began and ended up stressed and fraught and crying 
not helped by a sniggering husband sitting across the table saying
"you do this to yourself every year ... "

Worst thing is him being right of course!

I had intended to stick the little stars actually onto the card itself  but did not like the look at all so went to Plan B ... to "simply" attach them to a strand of silver thread and have them dangle ... pleased this would solve two problems at once as tying the silver thread around the ribbon kept it nice and flat for posting 
but, oh my goodness the time it took!
longer than making the whole batch of cards in the first place

got there in the end though & this then had the 120 or so cards for friends sorted!



Products used :
Distress Ink Pads : Chipped Sapphire / Evergreen Bough / Dusty Concord / Black Soot
Versafine Clair Ink Pad : Twilight
Clear embossing powder
Inkylicious Stamp : Winter Cabin (small)
Tim Holtz Alterations (for Sizzix) Thinlits Die 663095
For the message on the back of the card : 
Tim Holtz (for Stampers Anonymous) : Christmastime CMS352
Encore Ultimate Metallic Ink Pad : Enchanted Evening

For family & close friends I made shaker cards
Those that know me know cards that open are not my thing
Tags are my thing
but no way were those shaker bubbles fitting on a tag
so went with opening cards - case in point ... as I handed my sister her envelope she said, "I hope it opens" 

The bubbles and frame around them were bought last year but I did not get round to making them then and am no longer able to recall from where they came ... I got six of the hearts and six of the circles 

Did my favourite splooshy-sploshy squishing of ink pads on my craft mat and spritzed with water and dragged the card through to get my favourite sorts of backgrounds.  Used the same colours and one of Tim's (we've met so are on first name terms LOL) stencils to make the tartan edge




Then there were four cards for our little great-nephews
three pretty much the same - 





and as Henry loves dinosaurs and has a wicked sense of humour I knew he'd 'get' the funny side of his card
Not my own design but one copied from one of Tim's design team members (so sorry I did not make a note of her name)


I bought the "Oh Deer" clipboards when Tim launched them in 2016 but had no inspiration to use them at all.  They languished in a box in the loft for three years until I decided this was the year to use them

Again all based on a design from one of Tim's design team members & just tweaked to make the most use of what bits and pieces I had already

The stencilled backgrounds on the actual clipboards are done with Finnabair's fantastic Icing Pastes

I did six with a green theme  





And two with a red theme


But then decided I did not really like the paper dolls so did four totally of my own design and wish now I had had this idea sooner - but I hadn't so had to resign myself to giving gifts I was not really happy with


They are all fully functioning clipboards but I did add a note suggesting they should be used for decoration only

Then I made six journals (for drawing, shopping lists, general note taking - whatever rocks your boat)
I did four of the burgundy ones and two of the blue


Products used (burgundy cover) :
All Finnabair's (for Prima Marketing) products unless otherwise stated -
Art Basics Heavy Gesso : Black / Clear
Art Basics Modelling Paste
Art Basics Heavy Body Gel
Finnabair Manuscript Stencil
Art Alchemy Acrylic Metallique Paint : Plum Preserves / Dark Velvet / Emerald Green / Stormy Ocean /
Art Alchemy Acrylic Opal Magic Paint : Violet Green
Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray  : Jazzy Jivin' Purple / Autumn Maple Crimson / Bayou Boogie Gold / Milk Chocolate Brown
Art Alchemy Opal Magic Wax : Royal Robes / Turquoise Satin
Art Alchemy Antique Brilliance Wax : Amethyst Magic
Art Alchemy Metallique Wax : White Gold
Art Ingredients Glass Glitter : Gold Rush
Art Ingredients Micro Beads : Berry




Products used (blue cover) :
All Finnabair's (for Prima Marketing) products unless otherwise stated -
Art Basics Heavy Gesso : Black / Clear
Art Basics 3D Gloss Gel
Art Basics Heavy Body Gel
Finnabair Bubbles Stencil
Art Alchemy Metallique Paint : Ice Queen / Midnight Sky / Deep Waters / White Pearl
Art Alchemy Acrylic Opal Magic Paint : Blue-Green / Violet-Green
Art Ingredients Mica Powder : Copper / Deep Water / Purple / Bottle Green
Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray : Afternoon Delight Denim / 
Voodoo Violet Blue
Art Alchemy Metallique Wax : Old Denim / Electric Violet / Old Silver
Art Ingredients Glass Glitter : Midnight Blue

Six little tins also got made - again loosely based on a design from one of Tim's team but I used only minimal "pre-made" bought items and tried to stamp and decorate as much as I could myself







 When eldest nephew number two & his wife were asked what they would like for Christmas they both messaged me back separately saying ALL they wanted was one of "Auntie Debbie's stitched tree decorations"
Now I had stopped doing these for a few reasons and certainly had figured the nephews and nieces-in-law were just being polite when they got one each year ... seems i was wrong!

Took some effort to track down the Mill Hill kits as the supplier I always used no longer trades but I found a few (and have stocked up for next year too!)
Other issue is my poor eyesight now (no sight in one eye and really rather bad in the other one) so I had put off even trying to cross-stitch or do beading
Out came my old illuminated & magnifying light and I surprised myself with being able to cope

So they got one each ... a Red Cardinal and a Panda



 I always make something with a dove theme for Phil's brother and wife and family in memory of their son

This year I decided on parchment ... now I LOVE to see parchment work but it has never been a craft I have enjoyed and long ago decided it was not for me
so why, oh why, did I decide on parchment?!?!?!?!?!?

My friend was very kind to lend me some of her Clarity Groovi plates (she does not live close so it was a through the post job) and I bought a whole load of pricking and piercing tools
but soon realised I was out of my depth ... was happyish with the the little I did but soon realised that even if I aimed for next Christmas I would never have them ready in time if I stuck to the pierced backgrounds I had envisaged

SO - I fully admit I cheated and ran the vellum through an embossing folder

No way can these be classed as parching so I have invented a new name - velluming ... definitely something I will avoid at all costs in future!

But cards were made in memory of our dear Nick again this Christmas and were handed out by his mom and dad yesterday




 And yes, yes, I know the doves are very poor and crumpled and twisted but, to me, they are okish as they look like they are fluttering across the card


All it leaves me to say - to those of you still awake after reading all my drivel is I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that the new year brings you only good things.

Much love xXx



Tuesday 20 August 2019

Take me to the ocean

My sister-in-law has admired the two altered books I did at Finnabair's  "Rusty Relic" workshops so I decided to make her one as part of her 70th birthday present ... she loves the sea so did one based on the ocean.



Finnabair's original idea was the book should look old and worn - as if you had found it in an old, damp chest in the loft or the cellar and I was very happy to go along those lines again ... the more worn and ragged the better for me!




I used a huge shell we found on a beach in Scotland ... it seems it was just waiting for this project and as it was too wide to fit inside the book I used it on the cover





These photographs do not truly represent the colours I used ... they appear much darker than they really are ... the inside of the book was very 
bluey-greeny and shimmery.
I added a few more collected shells to the large scallop shell - again all collected from our favourite Scottish beaches


I used a favourite poem and decided to keep the back very plain and simple but it does catch the light when you do the twisty-turny thing (the book, silly, not yourself!) and then quite a few colours appear - a little bit like oil on water but with oceany colours


PRODUCTS USED:
All by Finnabair for Prima Marketing unless otherwise stated

Art Basics Heavy Gesso - Black / White
Art Extravagance - Paper Texture Paste
Art Basics - 3D Gloss Gel / Soft Gloss Gel
Art Basics - Modelling Paste
Stencil - Broken Net
Art Extravagance - Patina Effect Texture Paste : Blue / Mint Green
Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint:
Emerald Green / Stormy Ocean / Steampunk Copper
Art Alchemy Sparks Acrylic Paint :
Green Goblin / Magical Pond
Tim Holtz (Ranger) Distress Spray Stain :
Old Paper / Tea Dye / Stormy Sky
Distress Oxide Spray - Antique Linen
Lindy's Starburst Spray :
Steampunk Sepia / Time Travel Teal / Afternoon Delight Denim
Frosted Forget-Me-Knot
13 Arts Ayeeda Mist :
Pastel Cinnamon / Pastel Caramel / Pearl Old Gold
Art Ingredients Mica Powder (diluted in water in spray bottle) :
Gold / Copper
Art Ingredients - Mega Art Stones / Art Stones / Mini Art Stones
Art Ingredients Glass Glitter - Midnight Blue
Art Ingredients Mica Flakes - Gold Leaf
Art Ingredients Microbeads - Bronze
Art Ingredients - Melange Pebbles
Art Extravagance Glitter Set - Carribean Seas
Art Alchemy Metallique Wax :
Blue Lagoon / Old Denim / Peacock / White Gold
Art Extravagance Opal Magic Wax - Vintage Silk
Art Alchemy Liquid Acrylic - Tiger Orange
Cheesecloth or gauze

Now please
Just take me to the ocean
for it's where I long to be









Tuesday 30 July 2019

Do what makes you happy

It is something my hero, Tim Holtz always says ... 
"Do what makes YOU happy"
so I did

Not feeling very many arty vibes right now ... been on a real downer for months about it all but unable to quite take the plunge and give it all up
so I went back to what I love doing - the first thing I ever saw Tim doing
and as I needed some cards to have on stand-by to cover all those unexpected events that crop up I just made some to keep for as, when and if

Tried to be mindful of not everyone sharing my love of grungy colours
so whilst they don't rock my boat I made some brighter ones too 
only for the ladies though
the men are stuck with grunge!

First I did pink ... and I hate pink 
but the process made me happy so not all was lost!

Distress Oxides : Victorian Velvet, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry
Distress Archival Ink : Black Soot, Hickory Smoke
Sentiment stamped in Versafine Clair : Nocturne
Stampers Anonymous Stamps : Flutter CMS294, Media Marks CMS 363
Finnabair : for the background stamping
Sentiments from Claritystamp


Not awfully fond of orange but, hey-ho, won't be sending one to myself!

Distress Oxides : Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Carved Pumpkin
everything else as listed above


Don't mind a bit of green!

Distress Oxides : Cracked Pistachio, Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn
everything else as listed above



These are the first layers of ink on the tags for the men's cards ... before any background stamping


And this is how they ended up
Distress Oxides : Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky, Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen
Distress Ink : Chipped Sapphire, Gathered Twigs
Stampers Anonymous Stamps : Fragments CMS368, Classics #3 SCF003
Stamped images using Versafine Clair :  Twilight, Pinecone
and embossed with clear embossing powder
Background stamp was one from Finnabair





You can just about make out the shiny embossing 


The backs are left pretty plain on which to write
Stampers Anonymous Stamp : Stitches CMS365


14 ladies cards (should have been 15 but I wrecked one!) and 10 for men
all done during the hottest week of the year when it hit 33 degrees on the one day ... the powder was practically embossing itself!

So all pretty much back to basics but most definitely what I love to do
Yay! a happy tatteredrock!

Monday 24 June 2019

But like a comet ...

... I was wondered at
(William Shakespeare)

But I am getting used to the glazed expressions coming over faces as they wonder, "Crikey, what has Debbie done now"

Not everyone gets the whole mixed media thing
Totally get & appreciate that

But, hey-ho, it rocks my boat so I shall hold on to the pleasure I had making this and quietly plan my next project to get them all wondering

Had the idea for this in mind for a very long time
it was intended to be the sun
but it seems that vision was mine alone and suggestions were it resembled the emoticon of the devil, or it is the moon or a comet

So I am going with the comet ... hate the sun anyway so a comet is perhaps a better idea anyway

The photo's do not do it justice ... it just glows & is very much more golden when the light hits it






Products used:
"Great Art"
 1x30cm & 1 x 20cm Gerstaecker Canvas Board

"Samantha K"
2 x 10cm, 2 x 15cm & 1 x 20 Elegant Drop Frame

"Ranger"
Perfect Pearls Mists - Forever Red

"Prima Marketing" - Finnabair
Art Basics : 
Heavy Gesso Black / Clear
Heavy Body Gel / Soft Gloss Gel
Art Extravagance :
Paper Texture Paste
Rust Effect Paste - Texture Fantasy : Fire Orange (from Anemone & Coral set)
Yellow Rust (from Military set)
Glitter set : Luminous
Art Ingredients :
Art Stones / Mini Art Stones
Art Alchemy :
Metallique Acrylic Paint - Gold Amber / Royal Red / Flame / Coral Reef
 Fresh Orange / Brass Hardware
Sparks - Phoenix Feather
Liquid Acrylic Paint - True Yellow / Tiger Orange / Carmine
Metallique Wax - White Gold / Firebird / Peacock
Antique Brilliance Wax - Red Amber
Opal Magic Wax - Vintage Silk

Stencil - Diamonds
Decorative Paper - Solar
Melange Pebbles
 Finnabair's Mechanicals & various other metal embellishments & pearls
Gold Leaf