Sunday 30 April 2017

Art Journal Prompts 17: Magazine Clippings

This was a most liberating art journal page to complete and I now have a great stash of images clipped from magazines and newspaper supplements for future use too. This was created following the prompt 'Magazine Clippings' for the Art Journal Prompts Facebook group.  I was originally intending to use images, but instead found lots of headlines and references that could be applied to my feelings about art journaling; from a film advert, to a holiday brochure.


Saturday 29 April 2017

Mission Inspiration: April

Sorry I haven't been around for a couple of days; sickening headaches and computers don't mix.  This page was completed four days ago.  I must admit that the suggested colour scheme put me off attempting this page initially; purple, orange and green together are not my favourite colour combination.  However, as I haven't missed a mission since starting these challenges last August, I was determined to see this one through too.  So here is my page, just before the end of the month!
Finished: All 8 steps!

Wednesday 26 April 2017

WOYWW 412: On My Own Again

Once again, I am back sharing a lonely desk with you all.  Exam season is in full swing and my friend will be busy conducting A Level speaking tests for a few weeks.  Why do I share my desk every week?  Go over to our hostess Julia's blog 'The Stamping Ground' to find out more; in a few weeks the blog hop will be celebrating its 8th anniversary.  I have not been with the group since the beginning, but every one is very friendly!
On my desk this week are some clippings that I've already found and some supplements and advertising brochures ready to look through.  One of the art journal groups that I belong to has the prompt 'magazine clippings' for this week so I have been busy cutting out whole images and parts of images in different colourways.  I won't use all of them for this page, but the rest will go into my stash for the future.
 Finally, here is a follow up picture of the tree behind my shed.  As you can see, although there is still plenty of blossom on the tree, underfoot it looks just like snow.

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Tri-Fold with a Difference

This is a card which I made quite some time ago; I would probably decorate it differently these days, but I like the fold/structure.

Monday 24 April 2017

Sunday 23 April 2017

Tag Tuesday: Heritage

This tag was created for the Heritage prompt on Tag Tuesday; a fortnightly challenge.  I also used it as an opportunity to use a new die and stencil that I recently acquired.  I had real fun adding layers and using a muted brown/black/copper palette.  It seems apt to post this on St George's Day as that is part of our heritage too.

Saturday 22 April 2017

Journal52 Week 16: Rise

For the Journal52 group with Effy Wild, where you can find additional prompts.  The success of my previous attempt at free painting led me to attempt another page using the same format; acrylics (finger painted), Neocolor II for detail and a stamped/printed quote.  Not sure if I like this one quite as much as the first page (see HERE), but I can but keep trying.  The quote by Mario Fernandez is the inspiration for the painting.

Friday 21 April 2017

Thursday 20 April 2017

Art Journal Prompts Week 16: Step into Spring

This page is for the 'Art Journal Prompts' Facebook group weekly challenge.  I came up with the concept for the page as I was falling asleep, so it didn't take me long to make.  I wasn't too sure how Brushos would work on a gessoed surface rather than on watercolour card, but as you will see, the background worked out fine.

Wednesday 19 April 2017

WOYWW #411: Crafty Pals Again

Hello and welcome to yet another look at my desk; if you want to know why I do this every Wednesday hop over to our hostess Julia's blog to find out more. For the first time in weeks, I am crafting with my usual crafty friend, so I will be sharing her side of the desk too.
My side (photo taken on a Tuesday as usual) shows the start of another art journal page in response to the prompt Step Into Spring.  I will be sharing the step by step for this tomorrow.  In the background are my Brushos and I have already die cut the Tim Holtz Wildflowers out of black card.  As usual my sentiments are by Claritystamp.  In the foreground you can see the art journal page that I completed on Monday; my first ever attempt at free painting an image.  You can see the step by step HERE.
As usual my friend brought plenty with her to keep herself occupied for a full day's crafting.  Here you can see her busy die cutting bits from her bit box to create toppers, and she has also brought a selection of colouring media so she can move onto making her colourful background papers when she is ready.
 










The final picture today is a view I don't have from my desk, although if I lean back and look through the window in the photo, I can just about see some of the magnificent blossom on the tree behind my shed.


Tuesday 18 April 2017

Journal52 Week 15: Soft

Since the start of the year, I have been joining in with the Journal52 prompts by Effy Wild.  To find out more, and to join in yourself, you can check out her page HERE.  This week the prompt was 'soft', and for the first time ever, I created the whole page (except for the quote) myself.  It is the first time that I have created a picture/painting without using stamps or stencils for help; while I know that I have a long way to go with my painting and lots to improve on, I am really proud of my first attempt.

Monday 17 April 2017

Sunday 16 April 2017

Confirmation Congratulations

I am really grateful to Dr Sonia SV for sharing her template for this card which can be found on her blog HERE.  I have made a few of these cards over the years for special occasions.  This one is for a friend who was received into the RC Church at the Easter Vigil yesterday and also celebrated Confirmation and First Holy Communion.  Congratulations!

Saturday 15 April 2017

Make Art Not War


I made this tag in response to a challenge by the inspiring Barbara Gray on her blog. There is too much hatred in this world, yet I have always felt positive vibes from all the different art communities that I am part of.

Thursday 13 April 2017

Waterfall Birthday Card

I haven't made a waterfall card for quite some time, but having seen a stunning example of one by Sue Ralph recently, I decided to have another go.  I had to think hard before getting started, but eventually decided on 5 images in the waterfall on an A5 card.

Wednesday 12 April 2017

WOYWW 410: Crafty Colleagues

As always this photo was taken on Tuesday, although as it is the school holidays, I do not have piles of exercise books on my desk today for a change.  My usual crafty friend is away at the moment, luckily I had the company of a colleague and fellow crafter for the morning.  I took a picture of her side of the desk too and I hope she will be able to join me in other school holidays occasionally.  
My side of the desk shows the beginnings of a Waterfall card.  I haven't made one for ages, then saw one online and thought that I must have another go.  It turned out beautifully as you will see below and I will be putting a step by step on my blog tomorrow if you're interested.
 My colleagues side of the desk shows the thank you card that she was working on.  She had found some lovely vintage 6"x6" paper pads in The Works.  
Finished waterfall card




If you want to know more about why we share our desks on Wednesdays, just head over to our lovely hostess Julia's blog and she will explain it all.

Tuesday 11 April 2017

All about the Words

I had such fun making this page.  I started it for week 14 of Journal52 (Horizon), but as I only used Claritystamp stamps, I also decided to enter the finished page into the April 2017 Clarity Worldwide challenge 'All About The Words'.

Monday 10 April 2017

Tag It Tuesday April Challenge: Add Letters and/or Numbers

This tag was created for the Tag It Tuesday Facebook group challenge for April:  Add letters and/or numbers.  I enjoyed building up the layers, but I wasn't initially sure about the finished tag, it's not a colour combination I would usually go for.  It's growing on me though.

Sunday 9 April 2017

JJJ and Mindful Art Challenge 11: Red, Orange, Brown and Strength.

I was really proud to chosen as the winner of challenge 10 on Junk Journal Junkies and Mindful Art.  What I hadn't realised, is that I would be responsible for choosing the next set of prompts.  I am delighted with all the fabulous art that has been created this week with my three minute panic thoughts and this is my contribution.  It is a fantastic group; the members are all really supportive and membership numbers have been exploding over the last couple of weeks.  Thanks to Louise Withers for starting the group and Jane Telford for adding me as a member.

Saturday 8 April 2017

Learning to Fly

I had great fun trying out a range of different techniques and media on this tag, from Distress Oxides, Aqua Tints and Gilding Wax, to die cutting, embossing and sanding back. This is being in the Craft Stamper blog challenge 'Anything Goes' and also the Tag Tuesday fortnightly challenge 'Things with Wings'.

Friday 7 April 2017

Art Journal Prompts Week 14: Eastern Promise

I must admit, when I saw this prompt, my heart sank a little.  It is probably my least favourite style of crafting and I have very few resources apart from one or two sets of stamps.  The set that I ended up using has never seen ink before, but I must admit that by the end I was really pleased with the effect and the colour scheme.

Thursday 6 April 2017

Journal52 Week 13: Seed


Having used some of my scraps for an art journal page last week and created a page all about texture, I decided to combine both and use up some of my paper flowers that I have had in my stash for years and haven't used for ages.  This page was actually completed on Tuesday, but I didn't have the opportunity to share it until now.

Wednesday 5 April 2017

WOYWW 409

Yet another week has slipped by and it's time to share our desks (see Julia our host's blog for the links and details).  It's been an exciting week; my sister-in-law (Moonmomma as she is known in artistic circles) celebrated a significant birthday and we attended her surprise party.  On the same day there was a family get together as my brother is visiting from Canada.  The last time the siblings were all together was nearly three years ago, so a good time was had by all.  Then on Monday my art journal page for the weekly challenge on Art Journal Junkies and Mindful Art was chosen as the winner!

On my desk you can see the beginning of another journal page for the Journal52 challenge which finishes today.  I'll be sharing the finished page later in the week.  As the prompt is 'seed', I had all my flower stamps and some stencils out as well as a box of paper flowers.  I have indulged in some new goodies this week too; many of the Remember When stamps and stencils by Sheena Douglass and the new Claritystamp open stamp and teeny weeny stamp sets, which I can't wait to play with over the holidays next week.
Blue, pink, silver, heavenly; the winning page.
If you're interested in the step by step for the winning page you can find it HERE.





Tuesday 4 April 2017

Distress Oxide Tag Card

Yesterday, I showed you a little of how the new Distress Oxides work; today I'm sharing where I went with the tag and the card I made with it.  For details of the tag see HERE.

Monday 3 April 2017

Distress Oxide Play!

My complete set of Distress Oxide ink pads arrived on Saturday, so I spent some time yesterday playing with a few to see how they work.  I had already watched lots of YouTube videos about them, but there's nothing like experimenting yourself.  For today, I'll just show you how they react; tomorrow, I'll share how I carried on and the card that I made with the finished tag.  This is as far as I progressed using the Distress Oxides.  I chose three colours that I know go well together; Cracked Pistachio, Broken China and Faded Jeans and worked on several #8 manilla tags to try out different effects.
 








Firstly, I added some colour from each pad onto my glass mat, spritzed with water and dragged a tag through the ink.  I dried the tag, then repeated the process, adding extra spray to the tag and tipping it to encourage the ink to move.  I did this for a third time and this was the result. 
 



















Next I tried blending the ink directly onto the tag with a small blending tool, then spritzing with water.  The different inks blend amazingly well, just as I had seen on other blogs.  Before the ink dried, I added some water and once again, tipped the tag to encourage the inks to run, then dried everything with a heat gun.  This produced a more vibrant, deeper colour, although there were nowhere near as many drips and dribbles of ink.  It was the second tag that I chose to work with.  I chose three of the stamps from the Journalling set by Claritystamp and stamped them over the dry background with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide.  The Distress Oxide inks stamp far more crisply than normal Distress inks, although the top photo was taken after I had spritzed the stamped images with a fine mist of water, which caused the images to soften a little.  I haven't tried working on dark card yet, although I have seen from other people's examples how vibrant the colours remain, even on a dark surface.


Sunday 2 April 2017

Saturday 1 April 2017