This is just getting ridiculous!

I have been horrendously bad at blogging recently, so I thought I better do some papercrafting to get back on board...after all....tis nearly the season!!!

I have a huge collection of stamps, and haven't played with them for ages, so I dug out this selection from Papermania (Urban stamps)....

I chose and stamped one of the images, and coloured with promarkers.

If you buy stamps with coloured images on the reverse you can use them as a colouring guide, which makes the experience less daunting.

Next i decided to cut them out, leaving a thin white outline for easy cutting.

Now to select backing papers ....I has a huge stash....and found these awesome "Blonde Moments" papers that had a similar artistic feel as the stamp set...

Leaving a white border helps the stamped image stand out from the papers, but you can soften the edge by choosing a marker in a light tone that is sympathetic to the background. 

Now for a sentiment...and I have lots of those too...especially Anna Griffin ones...

Using just 2 papers, I ripped strips to make a collagey background then edged with red marker...

The fairy is raised on teeny tiny foam pads.

 So now I decided to decorate the envelopes.

I chose another small stamp from the same collection, masked off the centre of the envelope and stamped a border. I decided to leave these just as outlines, but then stamped another as a seal on the flap and coloured it in.

I really enjoyed making these, had forgotten how much fun stamping and colouring could be.

And now I have several more paper projects to do "for the season", so hopefully will have more to blog(plus finishing up a knitting project to share)

I would like to enter these cards for the following challenges...

Paper Saturdays - decorating envelopes

Crafting When we Can - Winter (spirit of the season)

Country View Challenge - Bah Humbug

Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes (must include stamping)

Enjoy :D XXX

Flight of fancy...

During yet another "fly by" blog assault last week I saw a fabulous project on my friend Rita's blog.

A lady/artist in Canada is collecting feathers(made ones lol) to add to a collaborative project she is working on

Well you know I can't resist joining in :D, so here are 2 feathers I have made to send her.

Following her suggestion, I used a real feather to get my outline and cut a thin card template...

 I used the template to draw and cut out 2 feathers from slightly thicker greyboard...

 added a thin coat of white gesso, and stated "blobbing" (yes that is a technical term) small ammounts of acrylic paint on them. 

 And "smooshing"...I like "smooshing"...

 before adding a little definition with a black inktense pencil.

 Next I applied a thin green glaze to the main background, and some rich yellow to the tips.

 Couldn't resist a thin sheen of gold metallic...

 so the feathers will shimmer as they move.

 The quill part is highlighted with white acrylic topped with clear iridescent medium. 

After adding ribbons (as requested), I couldn't send them in a boring envelope, so I used some of the left over paint and a PaperArtsy mini feather stamp to add a bit of glamour :D

If you want to help, Avoxtar needs the feathers in by 27th of this month.

I am using theses feathers for Paper Saturdays Challenge, and (since she started me off) Rita's A Piece a Week challenge

Enjoy :D XXX

I have been arting...honest!!!

Actually, I've been a tad obsessed with an image that formed in my head after reading another of Magaly's short stories about two sister's who got more than they bargained for after being rude and nasty to someone.

This is a pen and marker version I made...

but it lacked texture.

So I took a canvas, and used a drop sheet that I'd tested a couple of stencils on (perfect for the base layer lol)

and started growing my grumpy shrub.

For this I used tissue paper and matt medium.

Once dry I started adding paint in thin layers so as not to smother the texture.

*oooow...nummy texture*

To add the faces, I scanned my original drawings, and printed them onto tissue paper in the required size...

cut them out, and applied carefully with more matt medium. Using tissue paper for this means the image can be pushed back into the texture of the layers below.

I then added a bit of depth and detail with thin washes of acrylic and inktense pencils, as well as punching out and painting some small flowers....

before a final coat of gloss medium to bring out the colours and bind the layers.

This final image is scanned, and shows the true depth of colour used.

Well you didn't expect me to be working on anything cute this time of year did you...mwahahahahaha!

Enjoy :D XXX

I would like to enter this as my "Piece a Week", for "Paper Saturdays Challenge" and Country View Challenge "Something Spooky"

Pieces of Heart

I was in pieces trying to decide what to do with Darcy's FANTABULOUS new stamp designs I bought recently( Electrica  Darcy 01 from Paper Artsy).

I had started a different project, but got carried away with the yellow...it went BLAH!!!! so is now in rehab.

Then I spotted a pack of 2 blank jigsaw puzzles in a kiddy craft section of a large store and knew they would do nicely :D

 I started by building a base layer of colour using TH distress ink pads

 adding colours til satisfied...(no yellow)

 Next I simply stamped Darcy's images over the background using black Archival ink.

 Even on this irregular surface the images stamped amazingly crisply.

Then I added touches of deeper colours using promarkers (very carefully as I wasn't sure how the different layers of ink would react on the coated card surface)

 I used a gold metallic gel pen on the zippers. 

 I love the warm colours that formed, and hope Darcy likes how it turned out :D

This could be a great project for children during the wet days to come, using any stamps you have laying around lol.

I am entering this for Manon's Paper Saturdays challenge, and counting it as my Piece a Week

Enjoy :D XXX

Sometimes I even scare myself!!!

For my next batch of "29 Faces for September" I decided (along with a group of other artists) to try a self portrait.....SCARY!!!!!

I had to take the only mirror I have off the bedroom wall and place it on my work desk lol. I was going to use photos, but I do like a challenge :D

Add to that mix "only doing 10min biro sketches and oil pastels (without an under sketch) and you have to ask yourselves...."what kind of masochist is this woman!!!??" 

 Face no.12 (piggy eyes)

 Face no.13 (sunglasses)

Face no.14 (hubby wanted to know why I'd given myself a moustache)

Face no.15 (looks about 90)

To take a break from drawing faces I then decided today I would get some cards made. I usually start with a blank card and no idea where I am going, but I wanted to make a good batch(32 cards in total). This is when pre-printed kits come into their own.

 I had bought a set of 32 printed Beatrix Potter cards(cos I loves anything BP). The artwork is soooo gorgeous I didn't want to put anything on it, but then they wouldn't be handmade cards to sell would they.

 I also recently purchased a whole 12x12 book of die-cut frames from Create and Craft, and a sentiment die by Tonic.

The frames are mirror card, but plain, so I put them through my embossing machine to "fancify" them :D

I also have BP CDs from Crafter's Companion, and used those to print out matching inserts for each card.

I used a mixture of sentiments cut from glitter card and peel-off stickers I have had FOREVER.

I love the clean and simple effect, a total change from my usual style of mating and layering. I used to think using pre printed card bases was a bit of a cheat, but I grew up and got over myself. Who wouldn't want to play with such fantastic images????

So now I have 16 6x6 and 16 A5 cards ready to sell on my craft stall....

and for Manon's Paper Saturdays Challenge lol

Enjoy :D XXX

P.S.    I did not pay the prices you will see in the links, I buy stuff randomly through the year when I see them on sale lol (hence the room full of stash)