Today for Mixed Media Mag

Hello everyone thanks for stopping by! Today I'm over on blog of Mixed Media Mag, with a journal page using Gelatos. Below is a peep, but for full details pop over to the blog. 

I'll be back soon with a whole new project, so pop in and find out what I e been up too.

Take care 

Hugsx 

DecoArt Play

Hello everyone I'm back to share another journal page, using DecoArt products. I do love their spray mist as the colour dries permanently so you can build up loads of layers add drips etc without fear of making mud by contaminating the layer beneath.

I used the burlap page page of my journal - first layer white craft paste, lots of sprays and some media fluids rubbed on with my finger. Then one of Andy Skinners Stencil Fossil, with black craft Paste. On top of which I sprinkled aged Ochre embossing powder and heated until melted. This can take longer than normal as the paste is still wet. It does look though. I coloured the centre into an eye which is gave a little more interest. 

 

I do hope you like my rusty piece!

Take care 

Hugs xxx

 

Trying out Dina's 1oz pots of her Heavy Body Acrylic

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying your Saturday. I went for a walk to a waterfall but couldn't climb down to get behind it because of my knees but my hubby could, and he got some good shots. 

On our return I had a parcel with some of the new Media Line products designed by Dina Wakley for Ranger, so thought I'd have a play. I have a few photos of the process but when I started I had no idea what I was going to do, it just developed. 

 

Dina's Journal is lovely, it's full of mixed Media Paper which feels lovely and it's a nice size.

 

 

I also used her new brushes which I like far more than her long handle ones. Mixed up lots of colours for the first coat.

 

I knew what I wanted now, and so it started coming together.

 

Last look

 

 

I really enjoyed painting this, and what I liked about the smaller packaging is that the paint has a tip which you can you use to draw/paint with adding more interest than just brush strokes.

Thank you for popping in

Take care hugs xxx

 

Rust Trio

Hello everyone, its new challenge time at Country View Crafts, and the lovely Evelyn chose the theme for us this month. It's one of my favourite, and I really enjoyed created my project. There are some fabulous inspiration from my teammates on the blog, I was blown away with all the gorgeous rustiness. As always, there is a £20 voucher to be won; so come on, whatever way you create rust, whether large or small, enter it into the challenge and £20 could be yours.

Here's my project a set of ATCs.

I used a couple of ways to create the rust, one was taught to me by Andy Skinner on one of his workshops, which you can see below. 

Each one was started off the same way, and even though I wanted them different, I wanted them to have  a common theme.

    

The rust on the items was created by simply painting them with Paper Rust, which is a brilliant medium which you can paint on paper to create a rusty look, but as you can see it's good on lots of surfaces.

 

Each one has several layers which adds to interest.

 

I hope these have inspired you to play along.

Take care hugsxxx 

 

Something playful

Hello everyone I do hope you are all okay. It's been a while since my last blog due to the big move up North. I have relocated from Essex up to Cumbria, new job and home. Just need my lovely husband to join me (once he gets a job) and our dream is complete, although much earlier than we anticipated. 

Anyway onto a quick play I had the other evening! It took me over a week to get the craft room sorted, but whilst packing I made myself a an emergency bag of craft stuff as I knew it would take a while to get straight. In all honesty I haven't had the energy or motivation to do much crafting but hope now I'm straight and settled in that my creativity will return. So here it is!

 

 

I didn't take any process shots as I was in the moment and enjoying myself, but I'll walk you through the stages!

The background was Infusions by Paper Artsy which I sprinkled onto the page and spritzed with lots of water, I then used a wooden stirrer from a coffee shop to spread the colour around the page. 

Next I stamped the feature again from Paper Artsy Wings Plate 1 and then I used one of the lovely Emma Godfrey's new Stencils which were released this week. Here's a link to the blog where you can see all the stamps and Stencils in this release.

You can see that I added some shapes of my own which I painted with Inktense pencils from Dewent.

Hope you like my page!

Take care for now

Hugs xxx

 

What's on!

Hello everyone, thank you for popping in. Today starts a serial of posts over the next few months whereby I bring you news about the art and craft world, Challenges  Competitions, Art Calls, Exhibitions and more. 

Inspired by the current run of Trade Industry shows, worldwide, and how they are shared through video and Social Media, and how It's taken me a long time to navigate myself around; being totally self taught it's easy to miss much of what's out there,  not just for professional artists but for amateur ones as well. If you are beginner, a seasoned crafter, or a budding artist, or anyone interested, I hope these posts will bring a collection of useful information and articles of interest. 

You can read it here on the blog as well as subscribe to my newsletter which you are able to download and keep, included will be a copy of each month's events. It will build into a catalogue which can be used for ongoing information. Many of the curators that organise events and art calls do so annually, so you always know when to expect them. So, come follow me around this creative industry as I share what has been useful, as well as what interests me.

Okay so onto my first post in the series which I will name

Full on Drama!

January sees the start of the Craft Product industry's round of shows, with CHA or AFCI as it is to be known from January 2017, kicking off with Creativation in Phoenix Arizona, just last week! 

                                                                                                 Screenshot of webpage

I have created a calendar of the dates this year which you can download of get from my newsletter. (Coming soon!)

This is a floor plan  from their app. You can download the app from the App Store for Apple , I didn't check whether android had the app. 

 

 

AFCI is committed to insuring that the craft industry is a healthy industry which enhances the quality of people's lives. As a therapist I know the benefits of participating in regular creative activities, as it produces hormones in the brain such as Serotonin, which increases pleasure and health.  It also reduces harmful stress hormones such as Cortisol, therefore, creating actually improves happiness. But we all know that don't we?

So what is it all about? 

In a similar way to retail craft shows, the industry shows, showcase the new products the manufacturers have developed for this year. It's focus is on educating the retailers about their products and enticing them to stock their shops with all the new trends. The show is full of all the big names out there in the crafting world, and I'm sure you have come across lots demos all over Social Media tempting you  all, the consumers, to start writing your 'cannot live without' lists lol. Yes I'm guilty of it too!  Here is a link to the AFCI blog where you can read about them and what they do. Below is what they say about themselves. 

'As an organisation, AFCI strives to deliver innovative high value services as we support our Members who provide products and services 

to educate, entertain, and inspire creative consumers. Our Members include the manufacturers, retailers, distributors, designers, educators, digital content providers, professional makers and DIYers, and other creative professionals that comprise the $40 billion+ creative arts industries around the globe.'*

The different manufacturers at the show also offer mini workshops to the retailers and educators, teaching them about their products and demonstrating ways to use them. This filters down and forms the basis of many of the workshops offered by retailing shops to you  the consumer. 

For those of you who are Paper Artsy followers, of which I am one,  you can see where their booth was situated below. It's marked in Red and has a tag you are here! I wasn't! Again this is a screenshot of the app.

 

 

Getting back to the Show, it calls itself it's the ultimate crafting Industries event, and by the size of it I guess it must be true!

Another focus of the show is networking. Connecting all areas such as suppliers, designers, makers, and bloggers. It is a Social must for anyone wanting to start their own small business!

Well!  you might say, that's fine if you can afford to travel to Arizona but what if you are in Europe? What's out there for you? Good question! There are smaller shows in Europe, Germany being the next one, which started on  Saturday the 28th January and runs until the 31st. The next in the Diary is The Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts show - Manchester U.K. which starts on the 2nd of February. 

A little later in the month there is CHSI- Stitches which runs  19-21 February 2017 at the NEC Birmingham. This is the biggest show in Europe. 

 

So you can see why I call full on Drama, it is such a busy time for the manufacturers creating enough stock to fill orders as well getting ready for the shows. Of course they also so have the retails shows to attend which I will also provide on the diary. I hope to have the diary up and running in a couple of days and will keep it as a featured post. I will update it as we go on.

Your feedback is so helpful so please let me know, is this of interest? Do you want more of this sort thing etc! Is it too dry? Not enough photos etc. I'd also like to know what other areas you would like to read about. 

Signing off for tonight, but I will see you soon,

Take care

Hugs xx