A note set for Paper Artsy

Hello everyone, how are things where you are? It’s been cold and snowy here, which for many is a nuisance and obviously it can be dangerous, but also so very beautiful. I’m  fortunate to have moved into my new home and be able to enjoy a few days off from work to enjoy the spectacular views. Feeling very grateful!

Also with with gratitude in mind I’m sharing a little project that is on the Paper Artsy blog using some of Sara Naumann’s new stamps. I really loved this set of stamps, and new straight away what I wanted to create.

I am fascinated with writing sets, you know the kind? Folded card with a design on with a matching envelope all kept in a pretty box, well this project is my take on just that. I’ve brought it bang up to date using a journal style folding book which opens to reveal the cards and envelopes. It also has a ribbon closure which winds round to keep everything in place.

I used my favourite watercolours paints Gansai Tambi, by Kuretake, which are high pigmented gloss finish watercolours and come in some beautiful colours. I used a very simple technique of wet in wet, allowing the colours to mix and blend, finished off with a splash of gold. Theses backgrounds were perfect for Sara Stamps,  ESN, 23/24.

Here are some process shots and close ups

And there you have it!

I hope you like this set of cards and notelets and thanks for popping in.

Take care my crafty friends and I’ll see you all soon

Hugs Xxx

How to - recycling into Art

Hello to you all, today I’m over on the Rubber Dance Blog with a fab little how to, using recycled packaging! 

Why not pop over,  and see how this came together to create this lovely wall art which can anywhere in your home.

Take care for now

Hugs xxx

Ancient Goddess for Country View Crafts

Hello everyone, I cannot believe how fast time is flying here we the 1st of February already! And being the 1st of the month means a new challenge at Country View Crafts, whoes theme this month is Anything but Cute, chosen by the lovely Chris. Here is my inspiration!

This page was a recycled page in my Dina Wakley Journal which started like this. Bit freaking looking I know, but it’s an under painting 

And hopefully would have improved lol.

So using a stencil from my Essential range (no1) and grunge paste I added some texture. I dried this with a heat tool.

When I designed this stencil I wanted it to present value for money, which is why it actually has 4 designs. The blocks has many different uses and then you have 3 sizes and shapes of diamonds, some quite small which are great for your ATCs or smaller makes.

To add some extra texture I used my palette knife on top of the paste, by placing it flat and then raising it similar to icing it forms tiny peaks.

Then I had fun spraying chalk paint which have a Matt finish. I loved letting the colours drip down the page. I found it interesting how

the eye which was originally open now looked closed. Talk about faces drawing/painting themselves lol. I loved how it appeared and so decided to keep it and accentuate the closed eye. 

As the colours started to dry I was reminded of ancient temples and all the markings on the walls and so chose to add some of the hieroglyphs 

from my stencil by the same name. I have always had a fascination for ancient Egypt, my inspiration for this stencil (there’s more to come too) and so thought it would work well.

Here is a close up

I decided to add some gold from my new (at the time) watercolour paints, which I thoroughly recommend, links below. 

I love the opulent look it gave to my page. 

Now the face, some simple brush strokes in black added just the right amount to the her features and some white gold on her lips 

Some more close ups before a last look at the whole thing.

What I used

Grunge Paste - PAper Artsy

Essentials 1 and hieroglyphs - Deb’s ArtZone

Watercolour Paints - Kuretake Gansai Tambi

Well that’s it, thanks for stopping by, 

Take care

Hugsxx

Line and wash flowers

Hello everyone, again with something just for myself. This is a watercolour painting inspired by Joanne Boom Thomas, I love her work with watercolour and Brushos and find myself watching her tutorials more and more. I’ll include a link at the bottom of the page. 

I’m afraid the light isn’t good and so the colours aren’t as bright as in real life. Working full time it dark by the time I get to play, but I hope it gives you an idea of what it looks like. The size is 18” x 30 so big for me.

I first sprinkled my Brushos in Ultramarine Emerald Green, while spritzing I covered my sketch to protect it from the colour. I then added clean water and worked wet in wet.

Love how the camera captured the water on the page. 

I laid down the pink first and once dry the blue. 

Once dry, I used blue acrylic ink and my dip pen, (yah I found one that works for me and I love it)and added some details, before the ink dried with a small brush and water I pulled the ink to fill in the negative space.

To finish and lighten it a little I added white gold highlights, unfortunately the artificial lights makes it look like blobs of white where as it’s quite subtle really

You can see how the colour is more yellow in the finished pics than in the start 

Hope you like it

Hugs Xxx

Link to Joanne

Quick how to for birthday cards

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well and looking forward to some happy crafting. This year I’ve promised myself to spend moe time creating for myself. I struggled last year to find my muse and often found myself just getting stuff done for the design teams I’m on. This year I want to focus more on my art and so to start off here are some birthday cards created  with just a couple of things, Brushos and Watercolour Paints, both Senellier and 

Kuretake Gansai Tambi(which I love btw) links are down below

First one 

Sorry about how dark the photos are, even in daylight it was dark!

So I sprinkled,  sparingly,  red and green crystals and gently spritzed to activate. I then dried.

Then with the watercolour paints I picked out the flowers and leaves. Once dry I flicked some gold paint and added a few touches to leaves.

Some close ups!

Lastly, I edged in black (not sure which I prefer)

No 2

Made the same way, except used a looser style pen work

I haven’t actually mounted these yet, but I’m sure you know how that. You can of course try this with any colour crystals such as Infusions, Bisters or Magic Powders. I Hope you have enjoyed this ‘how to’ for quick cards, please click the follow, to make sure you know when I next post, and if you have an questions please leave in the comments below.

                                                                                                             Take care  Hugs xxx

Brushos - ColourCraft

Infusions - Paper Artsy

Busters - Powertex 

Magical  - Lindys Stamp Gang 

Wonderful colours in this months Challenge

Hello Everyone today I’m over on the Rubber Dance blog with a reminder of this months Challenge. Only one theme all month so simple right!

And this month there two fabulous prizes

1st prize randomly picked €50

2nd prize DT fave €25

So a definite must to join in.

Here is my interpretation of the theme

So to start I smooched some colour onto the background I using the colours of the theme (Golden Fluid Acrylic)

For a little interest I  dropped some fluid Ink in Fluorescent Pink and Opal White (Golden) then dried it with a heat gun.

Now I start to add my stamps Crazy Flowers 1 and 2.  First the leaves, which I think I’m in love with as they are showing up in 

Many of my projects. I gave them two coats of Pitt Pens from Fabre Castell.

  

Then the beautiful flowers

Again painted with the pens. Once dry I tidied up the lines with a black pen.

Lastly I added a white Gel Pen to add highlights.

Let’s have another look...

All stamps are in the shop

Take care everyone and I’ll see you later in Month

Hugsxx