Blossom Time

Blossom Time

Hi There!

Woohoo!  It's Friday

time to get ready for the weekend

Hope the weather is good for you

but if not, here's Hazel Harler

with a terrific idea to share

"Hi everybody. I make quite a lot of postcards

 and store them in a box but thought 

they would look better in an album.

 I found this photograph album in a charity shop - 

it's exactly the right size for my postcards, 

you could also cover a notebook or journal.

I started by pulling the album apart.

I cut the spine of as well

These are the paints I'm using.

I used a 12" x 12" sheet of paper as an 

A4 sheet wouldn't have been large enough 

to cover both covers. 

I used a brayer to build up layers of paint.

I stencilled some shapes and used an old 

credit card to make the lines

I used the prepared paper to cover the covers.

I stamped the Tracy Scott stamps onto 

tissue paper and book pages

I used matte medium to adhere the tissue paper images.

I fussy cut the book page flowers and adhered 

them over the tissue paper floweres

I gave the covers a coating of matte medium 

and when it had dried I coloured the images 

with some indian ink markers

I filled in some gaps with a postmark stamp, 

added some small metal paper clips, 

remnant rubs and some clippings stickers.

 A close up showing the paper clips.

 I enjoyed looking through my postcards 

and gluing them to the album pages.

 I spent ages putting the album together 

and threading the ribbon through the holes - 

I then decided that I didn't like the ribbon

I felt a lot happier after removing the ribbon

 and using bookrings with lots of different 

coloured ribbons tied to them.

Supplies:

Photograph album.
Fresco Finish paints.
Paper to cover the covers.
Brayer, stencils and and old store/credit card.
Paperartsy/Tracy Scott stamps.
Tissue paper and book pages.
Matte medium.
Indian ink markers, I used pitt pens.
Postmark stamp.
Small metal paperclips.
Tim Holtz remnent rubs and clipping stickers.
Bookrings.
Ribbon.

What a fun way to store your

postcards Hazel.  Thanks

so much for sharing

 Think it is time to scout the

Charity shops, of which this town

has very, very, many.........

'Till Tomorrow

Mickie xx

Fanciful Plantation

Fanciful Plantation

Hi there!

Have a super quirky project

for you today - it is making

me smile all over my face......

Jane Castle is here to share

her take on this week's topic:

"Well what a wonderful title "Fanciful Plantation" 

it certainly got the creative juices flowing 

when I read it on the DT's list. 

Having made various cards of late I decided to 

go for something a little different this time!

The main part of the bag is made up from 

2 pieces of canvas measuring 20cm x 16cm each 

and then the handles and gusset are formed 

using 60% wool felt.

After cutting my canvas for the 2 sides of the bag 

I cut a piece of copier paper the same size and mapped 

out my design before spoiling any fabric 

I then proceeded to stamp the images onto the 

canvases using Archival inks.

Next came the fun part --- adding colour to the canvas. 

For this I used PaperArtsy Infusions, 

sprinkling a very small amount on at a time

 and spritzing with water. 

I gradually added very small amounts to areas 

and dabbing with kitchen paper when 

I had acheived the right colour blend. 

Once I was happy with the result I brushed the 

whole canvas with some matt medium. 

The 2 sides are slightly different 

but I think that adds to it's charm.

 I embellished the artwork with various beads 

before attaching the felt gusset. 

For this I cut a piece of felt 54cm x 6cm, 

rounded off the 2 bottom corners of the canvas 

and stitched the felt to one side

Before attaching the 2nd side I measured the

centre bottom of both the canvas and the felt 

so that everything was completely square. 

The opening around the top was lined with 

more felt and after this was machine stitched 

I added some hand embroidered blanket stitch 

using a matching embroidery thread.

The handles were made from 2 pieces of felt 

measuring 24cm x 5cm, folded in half 

lengthways and machine stitched. 

These were attached by hand as I was 

not sure whether my machine would have 

taken the 4 bulky layers.

The final touches ---- a wooden flower button 

sewn on the bag at the point where 

the handles join and a shrink plastic bird!

A hole was made in the plastic before 

it was shrunk so it could be attached with some thread.

The 2 sets of stamps used in this project are fab, 

everytime I get them out they make me smile 

and that's got to be good for you!"

 ITEMS USED:

PaperArtsy Infusions in Sage and Sunset Beach

PaperArtsy Stamp Sets ZA07 & ZA08

Shrink Plastic

Archival Ink in Jet Black & Cornflower Blue

Matt Medium

Artists Canvas

Wool Felt

Thank you Jane - love this bag

Now if you fancy a super quirky bag but

maybe don't have the needlework skills

to make this one; why not get a linen bag

from here and stamp on that?

Or, stamp the design on a piece of

canvas and attach that to a ready made

bag?  The possibilities are endless..........!

'Til tomorrow

Mickie xx

Street Art

Street Art

Hi There!

Hope your week went well

and here is Hazel Harler to

set the tone for the weekend

Lots to take in with this canvas

to grab a cuppa, sit back and.......

" I used the lovely Paperartsy/Tracy Scott Gothic Blooms

 on my canvas

I used a brayer to lightly colour my 10" x 8" canvas board

 with Fresco Finish paints

The canvas was stencelled with modelling paste 

and Crafters Workshop stencils

 I again coloured the background with Fresco Finish paints, 

 sprayed water on and let it run down the canvas

then stamped and stencilled some acrylic paint.

The Seth Apter images were stamped onto tissue paper

 The flowers were stamped onto pink patterned paper and cut out

 I cut out the Seth Apter images and glued them to the canvas.

More colour was added with Gelatos

 I glued the flowers to the canvas with matte medium, 

I also covered the whole of the canvas with matte medium.

This is the finished canvas. 

By painting a layer of matte medium over the canvas 

I could add colour and shading with my indian ink markers. 

The matte medium allows the ink to be spread with the fingers,

 it also makes it easier to remove ink with baby wipes.

Here is a close up

 I think this technique might work with other permanent markers 

- I'll have to experiment."

 Supplies.

10" x 8" canvas board.
Fresco Finish Paints.
Modelling paste.
Crafters Workshop stencils.
Acrylic paint.
Seth Apter stamps.
Paperartsy/Tracy Scott stamps.
Tissue paper.
Pattterned paper.
Gelatos.
Matte medium.
Faber-Castel pitt pens.

Thank you Hazel - 

a really beautiful canvas

There's a lot of work here

but if taken step by step

 well worth doing

in colours to match your decor

I love a piece of artwork that

stands out in a room - it brings

a whole new ambience

Yes, I'll leave it there..........

'Til tomorrow

Mickie xx

Rice Paper

Rice Paper

Hi There!

We have Craftyfield with us 

today and she is going to talk

us through some up cycling 

to make a beautiful piece of home

decor - to be specific Bathroom

decor......................

 "I wanted to decorate this cylindrical box 

and give it a feminine feel so that 

I can display it proudly in my bathroom. 

A quick and easy way is to cover it 

with a printed Rice paper (Imagination Crafts).

 My "box" is a modest Pringles can so this 

works out as a very cheap storage option!

I first gesso'ed the can and chose 3 sheets of rice paper. 

In the end, I only used 2

 Using a wet paintbrush, draw around 

the bit of paper you want to use 

and after a few seconds tear the piece apart 

from the main sheet. 

This way the sides are feathered 

which is much more pleasing once collaged.

To glue the paper you can use any type 

of acrylic medium, matt or glossy, 

or even some of the newer Tim Holtz mediums 

such as "Crazing" or "Vintage" to add a little something...

I used a matt medium and applied it

 with the purpose built Collage brush.

Alongside the papers, I filled in with some paint and stencilling. 

I load my brush with several colours of paint at the same time 

to give a stripy look, echoing one of the Rice paper.s

I will be applying a matt varnish, 

I love using the DecoArt Soft touch for these projects, 

it has a matt aspect and, 

as the name implies, a soft feel to the touch.

This is a picture of the finished can, showing all 3 "sides" next to each other.

Had my can been a little bit smaller, I think I might have 

just used the paper as is, they are so beautiful, it doesn't 

seem right to tear them apart!"

Items used:

Rice paper:
Matt Medium:

Collage Brush:
Fresco paints (Lavender, Dolly Mix and Cheesecake):
Stencil Carabelle Weft Fabric and Numbers:
Tim Holtz Layered Stencils (Wildflower and Flourish) :
Varnish Soft Touch:

Thank you Craftyfield a lovely way to

get affordable storage colour 

matched to your home and you could even

 use up any bits and pieces left over from

a previous project.

I love the up cycling aspect of this

project too.

'Till tomorrow

Mickie xx