Shanghai Butterfly

So inspired by this piece by Suzanne Czosek on the PaperArtsy blog this week, I came up with this.

The canvas had a layer of Limelight as the base and then I mixed some Limelight and Mermaid to get a more minty bluey green and washed that over the top.  

Then I stencilled some large dots with the minty green with a touch of Tinned Peas mixed in (I love working in this tonal way just varying the shades and density of the paint). Finally I stencilled through a damask type mask with Tinned Peas.


I then started to give the canvas some washes in Limelight and Beach Hut just to flatten out and almost hide the stencilling.  The only oriental themed stamps I have are plate Vintage ID05EZ, so I stamped the long word and little receipt in Olive Archival over the canvas. Then I used Versamark through a small ditty mask and covered in Sticky Embossing Powder and stuck down some gold foil. 

The centre is a piece of mount board covered in thin layer of Grunge Paste in the centre.  I was working on this at the same time as the canvas so I just used the various washed I was using on the canvas on this, just made the final layers a bit darker to contrast against the canvas. Some Treasure Gold in Acquamarine, Green Amber and Spanish Topaz over this (gave it a good buff to make it shine). I stamped and embossed the text stamp in Olive Archival again and added smidges of jade embossing power plus some bits of foil. It was edged in Frantage black enamel embossing powder (as was the canvas, just to tie it all in together and frame it.

The butterfly was cut from a scrap piece of gold metal and run through an embossing folder.  Limelight added and then added some Frantage Aged Spice Embossing Enamel. Edged it with a little bit of Little Black Dress just to define the edges.

Phew, all this was done this morning in between painting my bathroom (I'm thinking of doing some Jocasta Innes inspired stamping to create a bit of fresco look in our roman inspired bathroom.  The great woman died this month and I was listening to her daughter talk about her on Radio 4 on Friday, her paint effects inspired a nation during the 80s and 90s with rag rolling and stencilling).

And I think I've just scraped in under the radar for the challenge!

Hugs
 jo
xx 

 

Madam Holbein

Well Spring might just be on it's way here in the blustery Shires, I've managed to get two lots of washing out on the line dried and I think we can finally turn the heating off!

Yesterday was Ally Pally in London or "any excuse to buy load of not needed but truly wanted stash"!  I knew I wanted the new PaperArtsy fresco colours (especially as some were "inspired" by my cat - Taupe will forever be Maise Moo colour in our house).  These were indeed purchased along with some stamps, gilding flakes and Frantage embossing enamels. 

You know me, I  just love my monochrome neutral palette so I was dying to start using all the greys (with a bit of pansy) for contrast. 

The canvas had a very dark grey (mixed Little Black Dress and Snowflake to get a charcoal) all over.  there are lots of bumps and textures as it was another re-used canvas!.  Then I just started adding thin layers of Elephant, Concrete and Snowflake in that order.

I added some grunge paste through a stencil at the edges.  One that was dry (shock horror I went and did some housework) I added some stencilling and stamping in a darker mixed shade using Little Black Dress and Snowflake.  It doesn't matter if it isn't a clean image I just wanted that "shabby distressed rubbed off look". In some places I rubbed back quite hard with a baby wipe to reveal a hint of the charcoal.  The dried grunge had Pansy over the top and then some Treasure Gold in Classic, White Fire, Renaissance and Onyxite.   

In the middle. I randomly used my Versamark pad over and added sticky embossing powder, heated and one it was tacky put loads of gilding flakes over.  Patted them down and then rubbed off the excess. Over the top of his I added some Frantage embossing enamel in Aged Scarlet and Aged Taupe. It's a chunkier embossing powder that melts into blobs as well as a flat enamelled look. I just sort of sprinkle it on, hold the heat gun at quite a distance to start melting it.   Over the top of this I added some more grunge paste through a stencil.  One this had dried I pit the stencil back over the top and went over with some Treasure Gold, a bit like bumping it doesn't quite cover all the paste but I think it looks good.

Finally Madam Holbein (I think she looks a bit Tudory with that hat and ruff, hence Madam Holbein, Holbein the Younger not the older - look it up!).  I painted a piece of mountboard in Elephant and Stone to give a neutral base.  Stamped the lovely Lin Perrella in black ink and then started to paint her.  Once I was happy with the colour I went over the top with a watered down wash of metallic glaze to give a subtle sheen. Around the edge I put some more Frantage embossing enamel and edged in black ink. 

I'm really enjoying working with metallic textures at the moment, I know it's not everyones cup of tea and some of you might find it a bit too bright and blingy, but I have to admit - I'm lovin' it!

Hugs
jo
xx

Pansies

Well I know it's been a little while since I blogged, but I have been making stuff just haven't been able to take any decent pictures because of lack of light seeing as we still appear to be in the grip of winter (I wonder if we'll look back at this time and go ah yes, now I can see that was the start of the ice age that sunk East Anglia, at the time we just grumbled about it being a bit cold and snowing for a long time).

I digress.

Anyway I made this recently using Lin's lovely flower from the Lin Eclectica No. 1 plate. I love the shape of the flowers and thought they would be great as 3D flowers.  

I used Eggplant and Pearl Glaze to stamp the flowers on black card and then sprinkled clear matt embossing powder on them as well. Cut them out, curled the petals and added some buttons (from the old lady knitting shop - you know the type) which I dabbed with Indigo Treasure Gold.   the leaves were painted in Tinned Peas and the Pearl Glaze.

The canvas is an old one that had something else on and I just RIPPED IT APART!  I know how radical of me, but you know I didn't like it anymore so why keep it! I added a layer of texture paste in the middle of the canvas to cover up some of the old art work. It's so long ago since I actually made this that I can't remember what coloured paints I used but I suspect looking at it Inky Pool and Baltic Blue and possibly South Pacific. the centre panel had Indigo and Onyx Treasure Gold added through a stencil.

Various bits of stamping and some more foil (love using this) to add texture to the canvas and finally some fabric embellishment to add contrasting texture.

So, a short and hopefully sweet post today as a) I have to tidy up after our bathroom refit this week (very pleased with how it's turned out, just need to wait for the plaster to dry out before I paint) and b) I can't actually remember everything about how I made this!

hugs
jo
xx

Tin foil it ain't

This started out as something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Underneath this thing of beauty is some texture paste, layers of a paint, two layers of PaperArtsy tissue paper and quite a few coats of Satin Glaze!

It just didn't work so I painted all over it.

 
As you can see I'm still on a it of a neutral vibe. Again I used Moonlight Fresco paint and scraped some Pewter Fresco paint over that in the middle and French Roast on the edges.

I'd seen Lin Brown use foil and Sticky Embossing Powder at Stevenage and really liked the subtle burnished metal look it gave. So both of those went in the basket along with some of the new Eclectica Sara Naumann stamps.

Using the words from plate No. 8 I stamped in embossing ink, put the sticky embossing powder on let that melt and put the brown / copper foil on top (first time round I put the foil down the wrong way and it lifted the sticky powder, a quick check on Youtube got me sorted!).

Next I used the little line stamp from plate 1 around the edges of the words and used a dull gold foil sheet.  I really love how the embossing powder stays sticky and you can just keep laying the foil, rubbing it down and lifting off (I imagine it's a bit like leg waxing, but I'm too chicken to try).  You can't really see the images as they are on canvas, you just don't get a "clean" impression, but I love how they provide a good worn, shabby base for the foil.

I was really happy with it so far and had to leave it for the weekend as I has the most fantastic birthday weekend treat thanks to my husband (luxury hotel, fantastic food,rather a lot of bubbly thanks to the waitress on our table and England v Italy rugby at Twickenham). Today I had a day off to recover and of course, have some craft time.

My neutrals textiles box has been sat on my craft desk for ages so I jut pulled out some random bits of fabric sewed them together. glued this on and then glued the flowers on.  I emptied my whole button jar out trying to find some buttons small enough for the centres but no luck, but then remembered my  bejeweller and crystals. I'd forgotten how addictive it is to stick crystals on but managed I hope, to restrain myself (there are some lovely blues ones in the box so I think something blue will be next!). 

The remember is stamped in Coffee Archival on a bit of driftwood and I think it just anchors it all (you'll let me know if it doesn't won't you?).

hugs
jo
xx

Deeds not words

Sometimes it's nice not to have to think too hard, to just follow a view instructions (use PaperArtsy products) look at a few photographs for inspiration (Suzanne Czosek) and of you go.
 
So I did.

I still really wanted to use the London Nights, Mushroom Fresco paints, the grey lilac colours are beautiful, deep in tone but so soft.  So I found a frame and gave it a good couple of coats of London Night. 

Before I stamped any text I wanted to add another layer so I used Mushroom to stamp the lovely leaves from the new Lin Brown Eclectica stamps (ELB01).  Once stamped I rubbed them back a bit and then went over the top of the whole frame with a couple of light washes of London Night.  I didn't want then massively visible (and they aren't) but there is another layer.

For the text stamping I used one of favourite large text stamps from PaperArtsy Blackie's Children's Annual  and Moonlight Fresco paint. Finally I used my favourite "when I want add a suggestion of grime" paint French Roast (with a touch of Chocolate Pudding) to just go round the edges.  On top of this a smidge of Aquamarine Treasure Gold. 

For the recess I used some purple metal and ran it through an embossing folder (love those trees). I put some Hey Pesto with a little bit of Moonlight over the top, let it dry for a bit and then gently wiped back to reveal the purple trees. 

The wreath was a very gaudy bright gold Christmas decoration that I painted in Mushroom, then stippled on some French Roast and gently dabbed a bit of Aquamarine Treasure Gold in places. The bow is some sari silk and a pretty button with some hemp string threaded through and knotted. 

Once I'd finished I realised the colours were the colours of the Women's Social and Political Union who had a high profile (if somewhat controversial and highly militant) role in getting women the vote (the First World War also had a big role to play in women getting the vote as well if I'm honest). Those women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century did indeed use actions (and so did many other women in the latter part of the twentieth century) that allow me today to vote, to work whilst married, to get equal pay for the work I do, to be recognised as an individual and not as a chattel of the man that sired me or the man I married.

Not every woman in our modern world can live the same way as me, there are still many situations where women are not seen as individuals and treated appallingly. So in this week when we celebrate International Women's Day I give thanks to all those women (and men) before me who used deeds (and still use deeds) to change the world they live in.

hugs
jo

Metal Petals

I had an idea for this for AGES (that might be a slight exaggeration, I've been away for a week with a 4 year old and some of his behaviour may have rubbed off).  A big canvas with a flower made of metal embossed hearts on a grungy background - simple right?

No.

Well the metal petals were to be honest. I just cut out loads of PaperArtsy hearts and leaves from some sheets of metal sandwiched on black card with that red humungo adhesive. Ran them through an embossing folder and then put Onyxite and Pewter Treasure Gold on top.

The stamen was made from heavy guage metal wire twisted and then coloured with alcohol inks.  I folded up the wire put it in a plastic bag and then squirted alcohol inks in the bag and just sort of squished the metal around in the bag in the inks - think Nigella Lawson when she's marinating chicken!

What caused me the most problems was the canvas.  What you see is the third colour I tried on it.  I first started out with PaperArtsy Fresco in Mushroom with some London Night and then Hey Pesto with texture paste ands text.  It just ended up muddy looking - twice. I think I was too impatient in terms of adding colour, didn't let it dry in between layers and  just added "too much".

So on this final layer I used Kaiser colours (because the new natural colours from PaperArtsy hadn't been launched) in Sand Slate and Eggshell. First was a layer of Sand to cover up the previous layers.  Then I added some thin layers of texture paste in the middle of the canvas and through a stencil at the edges. Once this had dried I added some layers of Slate and Eggshell, just sort of splodged about to give that aged look. 

To continue with the aged look, I used my favourite French Roast Fresco paint to add some dry brushed grime marks at the edges of the canvas and dragged down it. 

Some text stamping in Olive Archival in the middle (it needed a bit of contrast colour).  For a bit more texture and contrast I glued on some little bits of lace and cotton.   The edge of the canvas was stained using Walnut Distress Stain. Finally some Onyxite and White Fire Treasure Gold was added the raised texture parts -  a bit more grime!

I was after a sort of old wall kind of effect with bits of faded wallpaper, crumbling plaster and a layer of aged grime, finally I think I got it!

Right, off for a cup of tea now as not only did the 4 year old share his behaviour he also shared his germs so both John and I have got stinking colds and coughs!

hugs
jo
xx

Indian flower

Sometimes it's good to go out of your comfort zone, try something new, be adventurous.  I'm not talking trekking in the Peruvian hills, or wearing non matching bra and knickers (or even matching bra and knickers).  

No nothing as radical as that I'm just talking colours.

This is a bit out of my comfort zone as they aren't the colours I would normally aim towards. I'm more a neutral classic (actually these probably are in that spectrum) kind a gal, no brights for me thank you very much.

I started off making the tile late last Sunday evening.  Using the "oranges" from the Fresco range.  A layer of Butternut, some Smoked Paprika, crackle glaze and then Haystack on top of that.  Some script stamping in Saffron Archival, some number stampinhg in Sienna and finally the flower mini in black Archival.  

The whole tile had some Walnut Stain lightly added and then over the flower some London Bus, as it's translucent it sort of adds a soft wash and you can still see the Haystack underneath. A little bit of sanding over the tile to distress and lighten bits. Finally some Sapphire Treasure Gold on the edges followed by Black Soot Embossing powder just to frame the tile against the canvas.

The background.

This is a canvas that I roughly added some layers of texture paste with a palette knife, smoothed in places,left rough in others. Let it dry a bit and then used an IndigoBlu crackle stamp to press into the paste to give even more texture.  Where there wasn't texture paste on the front of the canvas I added strips of tissue tape glued down with PaperArtsy Satin Glaze (I also put it all round the edge of the canvas as well).  Left that to dry all day on Saturday whilst we went out to Angelsey Abbey to see the snow drops (they were gorgeous, plus some very early miniture iries, deep purple and really washed out faded pale blue).

This morning I just started putting on layers of paint. Started with the same palette of Butternut and Smoked Paprika. I wanted it to look old and dirty so added a thin layer of French Roast to dirty it up a bit..  Neat French Roast was also added where I was going to place the tile to lift it off from the background.  Over the texture paste I added Treasure Gold in Sapphire and White Fire to pick up the texture.  The red splodges in the corners are Brick Red Distress Embossing powder just sprinkled over the wet paint and dried. 

It's growing on me.

hugs

jo

xx