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

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!

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

WOYWW 523 - The Second ATC Edit

My very lovely friends, Shaz & Doug,  popped round last Thursday to 

deliver all my ATC's from the crop

and when I say ALL my ATC's I mean

WOW!!!!  

Everso many more than I thought would come my way!!!!

Especially as I was not at the crop in person & only very much in spirit

I hasten to add I was not "expecting" any at all but one or two fellow WOYWW'ers had said they would be getting one to me so to receive so many was quite overwhelming

As my workdesk is empty this fine Wednesday I shall share with you al those little works of art that I was simply delighted to receive

 Back row from the left:

Zsuzsa (InkyDinkyDoodle), Anne Williams, Annie, Dolores (Cardarian)

Front row :

Helen (Stamping by H), Anne (Copper Beech Crafts), Shaz (Silverwolf), Christine (Bishopsmate)

Back row from the left :

Julia (our esteemed leader, much loved friend and all round superstar), Jo (Twiglet), Elizabeth (Silver Scrapper)

Front row:

Neet, Jan (LLJ), Heather M

Back row from the left:

Sarah B, Canu Camilla, Caro

Front row:

Margaret (Glitter & Glue), Catriona

I have spent AGES studying each one and am honoured to have them - true little works of art and reflections of each crafter and artist and I love them all

THANK YOU!

Right am now off to attack a project I started the day of Finnabair's last FB live 

you know, the one where she launched her new paint colours

two of which I knew would be absolutely perfect for this particular project

they just came this morning so am off to see how long it takes me to wreck my project and consign it to the bin!

Am here baring all as Wednesdays see our worldwide desk-sharing thanks to Julia over at The Stamping Ground

Happy WOYWW'ing

xXx

Oh, by the way, I have six of my own ATC's left over so if anyone would like one then give me a shout ... am very happy to post anywhere and absolutely NO exchange is necessary ... I would rather they went to good homes than be thrown away.  xXx

WOYWW 522 - The ATC edit

Ten years and counting

One week on already, but only four days since the wonderful crop

Have loved seeing all the photographs - looks like you had a simply
 FAB-u-LOUS 
day ... as I had no doubts you would, of course!

If you are new here and would like to find out more about the recent anniversary celebrations then pop along to The Stamping Ground and see 
just what you miss by not being a WOYWW'er

I had a few ATC's arrive in the post and Shaz & Doug are popping round next week with some from the crop for me so I will post all of those together once I have them but I will share the one from my Mr Linky partner ... the very lovely Zsuzsa

Today's offering are my ATC's  
I can't do all the very arty clever stuff that make up most ATC's
So had my usual meltdown
Then half an idea formed
Don't even try to be arty and just do what you enjoy
 I decided to go for my much loved Powertex ammonites

First of all you have to make your clay - done by simply mixing Stone Art with Powertex

Gloves are a good idea

Ammonites are made using a mould - I do have a photo of them all in little rows drying but do you think I can now find that photo?  Can I heck!

Whilst they were drying I stuck the number 10 to each of the substrates and, when dry, put a layer of Stone Art over the whole ATC

Got some really super stone looking backgrounds

For which you will have to take my word because I subsequently

 covered it all up!

When that layer was dry I stuck the ammonites in place and added some details with Paperdecoration and Art Stones

 

Left overnight again to dry and are all ready to colour

I forgot to take any photos of the colouring stages but it is really quite simple

Bister granules dissolved in water in a spray bottle and then

well, just point and squirt

Once they were dry I mixed Powertex metallic Colourtricx pigments with a little Easy Varnish to highlight the details

Next came the problem of packaging
The traditional little cellophane ATC bags were not going to do the job
and I didn't want the ATC's to arrive at the crop as a pile of broken fragments
so I made boxes
And then decided to use my rarely used (made by) stamp
So everyone got a free sheet of loo paper too!

I made and sent along two prizes for the raffle table - I based them on a little CD project I did a while back but framed them this time
Photo below is the original piece - all done with Finnabair products

Should have taken the photos before I put in the glass ... but am not given to thinking ahead so excuse crummy photos

 So HUGE thanks to Shaz & Doug for taking them for me
and here's to the next decade of WOYWW'ing!

WOYWW 521

Simply can't be Wednesday again!  

Wasn't last Wednesday only yesterday?

Anyway, short and sweet just as our much loved Head Desker likes - easy when there is nothing on your desk to actually share

Just a huge gaping space where activity should be taking place ... but,  nope, nuffin'

Doubt there will be much of anything going on here today so won't wait and will just leave you with my sad looking space

This is how I left my desk yesterday afternoon after finishing the orange and green panel - didn't even clean my mat which is very unusual - nor my jam jar by the looks of it

You can just spot my Olay - in easy reach to constantly apply as I am really dehydrated at the moment and flaking away ... do I apply it constantly?  Of course not ... even though it is right under my nose!

The black case is something that appeared from the garage

Had asked Phil a few days ago if he had any small hinged tins knocking about

He hadn't but came across that case yesterday amongst stuff from daddy's that he is still sorting his way through ... it might just do the job once my mood is right

The plastic take-away box holds some resin pieces I made a while ago 

Thought I might use them on one of the panels I discarded from the swift/swallow piece I did yesterday but changed my mind

Just noticed my pencil case looks staged - proudly showing off its WOYWW badges

But I promise that is where it always is

No matter if I am here out in the conservatory or in the dining room in the colder months my pencil case HAS to be in that position - feel quite out of sorts if it migrates elsewhere!!!

A few people were asking about my walls after last weeks post so am sharing a few general photo's

I only ever intended hanging stuff on this one wall as the door you can just see is always open so hides most of it ... but I ran out of room and was told not to shove my stuff in a box but to hang it up ... so I did

Sorry for sharing the writing on the wall again but someone did ask specifically about it

I have been everso lucky to have some 10th Anniversary ATC's arrive already but they are well hidden and won't be shared until after the crop on Saturday

Just have a simply wonderful time to all those that are going ... my spirit will very much be there with you but I have to keep the body well hidden away these days for fear of scaring little children and the vulnerable (a hernia the size of a small mountain is not a pretty sight!)  Oh, the vanity!

Happy WOYWW'ing today and if you want to find out more about our desk-sharing Wednesdays then The Stamping Ground is the place to be

xXx

One swallow does not a summer make ...

... or is it a swift?

Really REALLY dislike summer so it doesn't really matter either way

Love little birdies though so guess it all balances out

Good job it is only spring then

But then I really REALLY dislike spring too

but don't get me started on all that!

This was intended to be a tryptich but it just wasn't working out

so I ditched two of the panels and have already painted them black so I can reuse them

Shame to hide the gorgeous green icing paste but I'd never want three pieces with the same background ... unless the tryptich idea had worked of course

The heart is based on a FB Live that Finnabair did not so long ago

But I have done lots of hearts in the past and they were starting to get some quite negative feedback so I didn't want to leave it just as a heart

So I added it to the wooden panel and balanced it out with a couple of smaller accents

Had a meltdown over the colours

I don't do bright colours

But guess they do make a change

And hubby did say "are you doing something bright for a change?"

Yup!

Products used :

All are Finnabair for Prima Marketing

Art Basics - Heavy White Gesso / Soft Gloss Gel / Heavy Body Gel

Art Extravagance - Icing Paste : Lucky Emerald

Stencil - Iris

Stamp Set - Wild and Free

Art Alchemy - Liquid Acrylic Paint : 

True Yellow / Tiger Orange / Carmine / Umber / Burnt Sienna

Various metal embellishments from Finnabair and Mitform Castings

Other bits & bobs :

 wooden plank / cheesecloth or gauze / paper flowers 

offcuts of patterned papers / script stamp