Easily distracted

So this week I thought I'd concentrate on finishing one of those outstanding projects I listed a while back.  I've been hankering to do some sewing for a while and with my crafting injury inflicted by the hot glue gun (it's looks horrendous and it itches and aches, but it is healing you'll be pleased to hear) gently guiding fabric through the sewing machine seemed the crafting answer.

All was going well, I'd found the box of fabric strips I'd cut ages ago, ironed them and had  started sewing them together to make long strips that will eventually turn into a strippy shabby scrappy quilt.  And then I took a break and checked out the blogs.

Mistake, big mistake.

I read through Leandra's PaperArtsy blog post on oil pastels and that was it, I had to try mine out (purchased at the NEC last year at the recommendation of Leandra along with a LOAD of fresco paints) and play. So cleared sewing machine and fabric out of the way, found some tags and started scribbling and blending.

She's right you know they are lovely to work with, soft, pliable and easy to blend.  And when you heat to set them, well it's like magic.  You literally see them shine for a second as they melt and sink into the paper, it's worth doing just to see that.

I followed the tutorial for a couple of tags and then became adventurous and did my own thing.

Scribb ked and blended three sections of colour from top to bottom (pinky, purpley and green) and blended them together on the tag and added some white here and there. Did the magic heating thing and smiled :)

I then sprayed Biscotti perfect pearls over a swirly stencil, but it didn't really show the stencil, but did go lovely and shimmery so added a bit more all over the tag.

Put the stencil back on and inked with Persimmon Distress Ink and it looked yummy.  

Stamped the crown from this Lynne Perrella collection in Black Archival and edged the tag with black and teal oil pastels.

I had a small A5 canvas knocking around that had some beige /  brown paint on it.  Added swipes of Persimmon and Seedless Preserves Distress Ink direct to the canvas, added some streaks of oil pastels and white oil pastel through a diamond stencil. On canvas the pastels stay shiny when you heat them, still nice though.  

Finally stamped the large stamp from the same Lynne Perrella collection in French Blue Archival Ink and added the tag carefully (!) with the hot glue gun.

The photo's I'm afraid really don't do the pastels justice - artifical light and all that, but you sort of see (can you???).  I'll try ands take some better ones at the weekend in daylight (ha!)

hugs

jo

xx