wishin' & hopin' ...

Felt a bit encouraged to just have a go at something ... anything ... to try and bring myself back from the brink of walking away from all this art business so just grabbed a canvas and my boxes of treasure and with a tiny scrap of an idea in my head I just had a play

Stuck to my newly discovered pale colours - but was fighting all the way not to paint it black!  

PRODUCTS USED:

Finnabair (Prima Marketing) 

Art Basics -

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

Art Ingredients -

Mica Powder - Lilac Opal Magic / Green Opal Magic (diluted in water)

Art Stones / Mini Art Stones

Glass Glitter - Midnight Blue / Violet

Micro Beads - Silver

Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint -

Opal Magic  : AquaRose /VioletGreen (old release)  

VioletGreen (new release)  / PinkBlue

Metallique : Ice Queen / Vintage Rose / Soft Satin / White Pearl

Metallique Wax : Old Silver / Rose Gold / White Gold / Blue Lagoon

Mint Sparkle / Heather Hills / Sweet Rose / Peacock

Old Denim / Electric Violet

Art Extravagance :

Icing Paste : Frosty Pearl

Glitter Set : Ebony & Ivory

Lindy's Stamp Gang 

Starburst Sprays - Frozen Jack Frost / Gag Me With A Spoon Gray

Glitz Spritz Sprays  - Steel Shimmer

DecoArt Media - Shimmer Mist White

My Finnabair weekend

After WEEKS and WEEKS of worrying and stressing over how I'd even get there, let alone cope, I made it to Amelia's Creative Crafts in Studley for a weekend with the wonderful Finnabiar ... the amazing lady that is Anna Dabrowska

Have done many of her classes now (20 actually!!!) but was so poorly last year, the effects of which have changed my life completely, so honestly thought I'd never see her again

Couldn't even contemplate that so as I got a bit stronger again I contacted Nikki, the owner of Amelia's, and told her of my concerns and she went out of her way to reassure me and so I booked in

Stress levels through the roof as the workshops drew ever closer - more meltdown's to both Finnabair and Nikki - but so, so wanted to get there

And get there I did!  Helped enormously over the weekend by Nikki I managed the two very long days ... but the time just flew because I was having such a wonderful time

First project was an all day class on Saturday called

"FLAMING HEART"

I very deliberately left a lot of white space because this is what I struggle with and I also chose a very different colour palette to anything I have ever done before - will certainly use similar colours again in future

Sunday morning saw us starting with

"POETRY OF PATINA"

Everyone used the same colours of Finnabair's rust paste and patina paste sets 

I bought the patina pastes when they were first launched but did not like them at all ... do now though and would like to do another project using these techniques at some point

The words under the dome in the centre of the pocket watch says

"be you, bravely"

Because I think I was this weekend!!!

Final project on Sunday afternoon was

"RUST PAINTED"

Again went with colours totally different to what I would normally choose but was disappointed at first as it was so pale compared to all the others and I feared adding the rust would just be a disaster

I even took it to Finn and asked if it was salvageable

She assured me it was 

and she was right OF COURSE!

All in all I was pleased with my projects ... not al quite as I had in my head but am happy with them none-the-less 

HUGE thanks to Finnabair herself and then to Nikki, Tracy, Holly & James of Amelia's Creative Crafts ... you made the whole weekend just a dream from start to finish and I loved every minute.

Welcome Rex !!!

And then there were two!

Great-nephews that is.

Two weeks early but along came Rex - made a Welcome Baby card along the same lines as ones I have made before

If you don't like tag cards then you won't like this because it is definitely a tag overload!

The final little tag is left blank to write on

Take a trip

Saw a little travel journal made by Emma Williams on the Tim Holtz Addicts Facebook page and knew I had to do something along the same lines for my friend's daughter for whom travel is a passion.  

I didn't want a journal so did a small(ish) canvas instead & it was her Christmas present.

Huge thanks to Emma for helping me track down the paper pad!

Tim Holtz ideaology 12 x 12 Paper Stash - Correspondence

I added a few metal embellishments from my rummage box & framed it to make dusting easier!

Baubles & hanging decorations

So there I was all smug and gloating that all my Christmas presents were either bought and wrapped or made and wrapped ... but then someone commented on the little hanging decorations I had made and that they were "just cardboard things" and that was enough to send me off into a tizz.

The cardboard things actually took quite a while to make but that was ok because I had them done well ahead of time - way before most folk even begin to think about Christmas - and I planned on sitting back and enjoying the festive season in a more relaxed state than is my norm.

Yeah, right!

Now thinking the cardboard things were not good enough I decided to make some baubles - only 12 because that was all I had left from a couple of years ago and now had no time to order any more.

As it turns out thank goodness there were only 12.

But first the cardboard things ... all Tim Holtz and a mixture of several of his techniques ...  the main element being the "metallic" edge.  This was a technique showcased by Tami Bastiaans where you stamp in Versamark on Tim's metallic kraft card and then emboss in silver powder.  Then you smear black distress crayon all over and wipe it back to make it look aged and vintage.  Very messy - but we all know I love messy!

I used brown distress crayon on the gold coloured ones and gold embossing powder too.

The baubles were Powertex ... started off with ivory coloured which I was then painting with black gesso but it was taking forever so bought some black Powertex which saved hours!

I was actually happy with these until I decided they needed a bit of sparkle - but by now I was in full on tizz mode as they had taken so long to make and postage dates were looming.  Needless to say I added WAY  too much sparkle and ruined the layer upon layer of colours I had managed to achieve with spray inks and acrylic paint and wax.  

Should have left well alone.

I didn't get a photo of the jewelled coloured ones ... those with blues and purples - which is a shame as I did not sparkle those as much as the others and did look so much better for it.

Very, very nearly painted over the whole lot to start re-colouring but just had neither time nor heart to redo them so had to admit I'd stuffed up and let them go as they were.

This shows them before I wrecked them with the sparkles 

Did keep a note of colours used for these!

Bases were all clear acrylic baubles

Scraps of old t-shirt type material

Ivory & Black Powertex

Art Basics Heavy Body Gel

Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel

Various beads & metal embellishments

Crushed Ice Crystals

BLUE & PURPLE :

 Finnabair for Prima Marketing Art Ingredients Mica Powder -

all diluted in water (or gin ... I do prefer to dilute in gin!)

Purple / Deep Water / Frozen Lake / Bottle Green / Teal

Lilac Opal Magic / Green Opal Magic

Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint -

Crocus Fields / Deep Waters / Emerald Green / Ice Queen / White Pearl

Art Alchemy Opal Magic Wax -

Green Brocade / Turquoise Satin / Royal Robes

Art Alchemy Antique Brilliance Wax -

Mystic Turquoise 

Art Alchemy Metallique Wax -

Old Silver / Brushed Iron

RED :

Lindy's Starburst -

Cowabunga Copper / Autumn Maple Crimson / Cajun Carnelian Red

Bayou Boogie Gold

Moon Shadow Mist - Bucket O Blood Red

Art Ingredients Mica Powder - Gold (diluted)

Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint -

Red Wine / Steampunk Copper

GREEN :

Lindy's Starburst -

Bayou Boogie Gold / Gater Gumbo Olive

Art Ingredients Mica Powder  - Bottle Green (diluted)

Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint -

Dark Forest / Steampunk Copper

Cards Cards Cards

After the first six bleak months of 2018 when I was barely able to leave our bedroom and made nothing more than a handful of birthday cards I did not see myself being able to make any Christmas cards at all.

But, time went on and things improved and I decided I simply could not bring myself to buy cards from a shop (and there are some beauties out there!) so thought I'd make a few cards at a time and see how I got on.  Got on quite well, actually, and made around 150ish ... not quite as many as usual but better than I expected to do.

Tim Holtz came to play ... well, at least his products ... and I did a variation on my much preferred tag cards for the family and close friends.  

So, still a tag but opened to please those that do not think my tags to be "proper" cards

Afraid it didn't occur to me to list the products I used ... the *s*n*o*w* was Finnabair's modelling paste through Tim Holtz's *S*n*o*w*cap stencil and Falling Stars stencil and then sprinkled with Glamour Dust. I used his Home for the Holidays thinlits dies by Sizzix and his Stampers Anonymous Christmastime stamp which stamped in red and then clear embossed.  .

Loved the crispness of the red against the white so then made a batch of my more regular tag shaped cards to add to the pile of general Christmas cards.

For the next batch I did my much loved swishing and swooshing of distress ink - the fabulous oxides this time - Black Soot and Hickory Grey splodged on my craft mat and spritzed with water and  Tim's (we've met -  I had a hug so am on first name terms now!) manilla tags were dragged through and left to dry and then water droplets distressed them even more.

Same stencil as before and the sentiment this time was from the Festive Overlay stamp set.

The last batch were a date with the Big Shot die-cutting trees, deer and logs but these came together quite quickly once that task was done.

Swished and swooshed the background again ... normal distress this time and old paper and antique linen spring to mind ... maybe with a bit of bundled sage thrown in.   Stamp was Tim's Music & Advert stamped using Versafine Clair Pinecone - added a little red bow that was flat enough not to incur the higher postage rate.

Then two final cards for the Great-nephews ... first our darling Henry - the three and a half year old whirlwind that keeps us all on our toes.

I saw the *s*n*o*w*man stamp on a friend's post and she very kindly stamped some out for me as it is a stamp I am unlikely to use in the future.

It did mean doing the dreaded colouring-in but, hey, if you look closely I even did shading!!!!!  

And then came Rex ... two months old on Christmas Eve 

Winter Memories

During a bit of a lull with my arty mojo I decided to work through an online class & kit by the very talented Dorota Kotowicz and purchased her Winter Memories Album from Mixed Media Place - rolled up my sleeves and spent a happy few days working my way through it.

I think the intention is to add photographs to the "postcards" that you add to the pages but I didn't want to do this so went ahead and decorated each postcard more fully than in  Dorota's video.  I also added a few extra bits and pieces that don't come in the kit. 

WOYWW 500 = WOW!!!

A huge WOW indeed for the 500 edition of WOYWW'ing and the hugest of

CONGRATULATIONS 

to our esteemed and very much loved, adored, cherished and cared for leader Julia who sits at head desk at The Stamping Ground

I was determined to join in today ... well, yesterday for today is now tomorrow and I am a day late ... but my problem was, is, I have no desk to show.  

Well, I could show you the dining room table which is where I am right now.

Or my warmer months desk out in the conservatory but that is buried under most of the contents of the kitchen as it continues its refit.

But ... and this is a big but ... any desk I could show you will be void of anything even remotely crafty or arty for I am busy battling with myself about whether I carry on or totally give up ... am at the totally giving up stage and have been for several weeks now but am not acting in haste and either binning or giving all my stuff away but, hand on heart honest, I think my attempts at anything even remotely art based are behind me.

Reason is not lack of mojo but rather facing the fact that I will never be able to produce anything I am even slightly happy with and no matter what wonderfully lovely comments my work gets I always think people are just being kind and bolstering me along - unfair thoughts from me I am sure but changing your psyche is bloomin' difficult and I have yet to manage it even a little bit.

I have learned to never say never but my mind feels pretty much made up - acceptance of my limitations and all that jazz.

So, I am about to blog the latest (and maybe the last) stuff I have done and hope to maybe make the crop in June (but doing WHAT I have no idea ... I hear talk of tea and cake so shall make tea and serve cake!) and end this sorry little post by thanking Julia for brining some AMAZING friends into my life ... truly friends for life ... and for the inspiration she had 500 weeks ago in starting what has turned out to be the phenomenal WOYWW!!!!!

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