Friday 30 September 2016

Yupo and Alcohol Inks

Hi everyone

I have another Helen Chilton project
for you today but this time it is

Yupo and Alcohol Inks

Here's Helen to talk you through it:

For my project I've drawn on the Yupo paper with the alcohol inks 
to create a scene. Add in alcohol ink pens, some black fine liner 
and a frame and you're ready to go!
   
The alcohol inks are very forgiving on the yupo 
as if you don't like a particular colour you can just drop 
another one on and it'll push the first one away.  
The same with the pens.

Autumn Scene:


Get supplies ready:  Yupo paper, alcohol inks, a mount board frame, etc


Draw some Limeade alcohol ink across bottom of Yupo:



Then draw some blending solution across to lighten


Next draw on Yupo with the Meadow ink creating a hilly effect:


Add some Latte, looking vaguely like a tree line:


Drop Red Pepper and Honeycomb in to create Autumn colours:


use Pool and Cloudy blue for the sky and drop in some Pink Sherbet:


Didn't like the pink so blotted it with a cotton ball - liked the texture it
 produced so kept blotting it into some of the bushes!


Dropped a little Limeade at the bottom and then pulled it out with a cocktail stick and also added a little Lemonade to the sky to warm it up.



After that I got out the alcohol ink pens - any brand will do.  I drew some yellow into the trees


....and then drew some dark red flowers in the foreground.  Then I added some yellow flowers.  The alcohol ink pen will remove the colour underneath - just wipe the nib repeatedly on scrap paper to get the green off and intensify the yellow/red:


Then I got out a black pen and added in very loose sketching - leaves, flowers, pebbles, fencing, etc.


This is a close up of the finished scheme - I've added a hot air balloon to create a focal point in the sky:


To finish, create a mountboard frame - note I changed the colour of mine, the red went better.  I added some diecuts by Tim Holtz and some words:


Products Helen used:

Alcohol inks: Limeade, Meadow, Cloudy Blue, Pink Sherbet, Latte,             Honeycomb, Lemonade
Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits: Wildflowers

I'm sure you will all agree that this is a fabulous project, think I might need to buy that Tim Holtz die too!  I was so trying not to.............!
'til next time, be crafty
Mickie xx

Wednesday 28 September 2016

New JOFY Stamps

The latest PaperArtsy releases are fabulous
and here we have Helen Chilton to take us
through a super project using JOFY 46

Over to you Helen


For this project I'm using some of the lovely new JOFY stamps and a couple of tags from Woodware, one card, one acetate. The idea is that the acetate tag should be overlaid onto the card tag, but that both can also be viewed separately.

Take your two tags:


and on the card one, start by stencilling with Grunge Paste:



Next paint over the top - I used Lilac, Blue Oyster and Teresa Green Fresco paints:


When dry, scrape some Snowflake paint over the top:




Then, using brighter colours, (I chose China, Chartreuse and Professor Plum), add more stencilling:


After that, place the acetate tag over the top to work out where you want to stamp the JOFY images and stamp them in black StazOn:



Flip the acetate over and paint on the back - I've used Tango, Granny Smith, Captain Peacock and Bubblegum:


Keep flipping the acetate over to make sure you're staying in the lines. Clean off any stray blobs with a cotton bud:


When that's dry, stamp on the cardboard tag in black using the acetate tag as a guide and loosely paint in:


Here's the two tags side by side:


Materials used:


Thank you Helen for a great project

For anyone curious about Inky Fingers Club, 
this is a flavour 
of the kind of thing we do


Mickie x

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Two Weekly Challenge Winner

Don't Tuesday's come round quick? 

I've no sooner posted the winner of one challenge 
and it is time to do another!  

So who is it going to be this time I wonder?

The challenge was to use something from

Around the House

There were fourteen entries for
this one but I'm afraid there can
only be one winner..........................

All the numbers were given to the
Random Generator, who has chosen.............


Congratulations Maggie!!

Please contact me at

Mickiecraftbarn@gmail.com

so I can send you your prize.

Thank you to all who entered and better 
luck next time

Mickie xx

Sunday 25 September 2016

Two Weekly Challenge

Happy Sunday everyone!

Hope you are planning a lazy day recharging those batteries
ready for the busy week ahead.

No rest for me today, I'm off to 

Kathy Byrne's Book Club 

to make a Perpetual Calendar. 

And you thought it was all books.  Haha!!

Now this leads me quite nicely into the Challenge

Can you guess what it is?  Yup - its...................

Books

You can do anything you like from illustrating the title
of your favourite book, or perhaps the story you are
currently reading with younger members of the family,
to decorating a book (or even making one). 
Maybe you just want to make a card or journal page 

Here's a notebook I decorated:


Should have warned you -
 I'm probably the world's worst photographer!

So whatever comes to mind - go for it

As usual, you have two weeks to upload
as many entries as you like via the link
If you can't use the link then email
your pictures to me at

mickiecraftbarn@gmail.com

and I'll add them for you.
The link will close at midnight on
11 October 2016.
The winner will be picked by Random Generator 
on Tuesday 04 October

Good luck all

Mickie x

Heather Hammond was unable to use the link
so I'm posting a picture of her book entry to the challenge for her.



Saturday 24 September 2016

Around the House

Hello everyone!
If anyone needs a final bit of inspiration 
we have another project on the Around the House theme today.  
It really is a beauty and is by 

Dawn Heald:

I'm here to share an art journal page in my MDF book, 
using a few things from around the house
 to apply colour and stamp with.
I do hope you like it.


How I created this.

First off I covered the board with very thick layer of 
white gesso applied with pallet knife and left it to dry naturally.

Then with Fresco Finish Paints I used the palette knife 
to spread on thick uneven layers to make my sea and
again left it to dry naturally.


Next I took some small plastic nappy sacks
 (any plastic bag would work, thicker plastic bags will give chunkier 
more open look) and dabbed them in
the Alchemy Wax and proceeded to 
gently dab all over the board, alternating colour as I went.

Then I used the Bay Leaf stencil and stippled through 
Peridot Alchemy Wax to create a backdrop of sea plants.

Now some mixing:

Scoop out three small amounts of 
Media Texture Sand Paste and add
a different colour of Alchemy Wax to each one. 
Mixing the the pink and blue wax to get purple. 
The Alchemy Wax mixes really easily 
to create new colours and also into texture pastes. 

Apply the coloured Media Texture Sand Paste through 
TCW mini Octopus Stencil, omitting the octopus!
I really pushed the paste through the stencil 
to get a different look not as sharp. 
I let this dry for a bit then finished off drying with heat tool. 
Then put the stencil back on and drew through with a white gel pen.

To add detail to the background I found different sized lids from
 "around the house" and stamped with them using 
Starlight paints, Alchemy Wax and Stazon Midnight Blue midi ink pad.


Now I needed some sea life. 
I stamped, coloured and die cut my fish.
I used Distress Markers to colour and
I glued them to the background with hot glue.


 The stamps and matching dies are Heartfelt Creations. 
(My first products from them and I'm mega impressed 
at the designs and quality and storage packaging). 

I finished off with a stencilled word "Imagine" from DecoArt stencil,
 using the same Midnight Stazon ink in top right corner. 
Then added some Sequins and dots of 
White Opal Liquid Pearls coming from the fishes mouths.


I like the way the page shows the different textures 
and also the matt and pearly finishes. 
It's one of those you can't help but touch.

Many thanks Dawn for your lovely project

Here's what Dawn used:


Thursday 22 September 2016

Thinking About Next Year

Hi!  What are you all doing this week?  

I'm afraid I'm late posting today, largely because I
overlaid this morning and had to dash off to
my Watercolour Group.  Aside from that
I'm enjoying the warm sunshine and seeing the trees changing into their autumnal dress as I drive around the county
.
Had a super day in Lingfield yesterday getting together friends at the 

Inky Fingers Club. 

For those of you who are unable to get to Inky Fingers and who may be wondering what on earth it is we do, I have a lovely tag project coming up from Helen Chilton for you next week that will give you a good idea, so watch this space.
  
Think I've been overcome by the beautiful weather because I've also signed up for two classes over the weekend!
 I shall be In Lingfield again for Helen Chilton's Build a Card class on Saturday using using Woodware Stamps and Kalaidacolour Inks.
On Sunday I'm going to Kathy Byrne's Book Club to make a Perpetual Calendar   

In the meantime, we have to start thinking about Challenges for 2017.   
I know, seems too soon to think of 2017 when we haven't had Christmas yet!  Nevertheless, what do you think about having four challenges a month instead of just the two for you to dip in and out of as you wish?

We have in mind:

an Oversized Tag that would build up to a wall calendar for 2018,

Flower of the month with a twist

Song of the month

and inspired by the verse on PaperArtsy Eclectica ELB 30 stamp set
by Lin Brown, yet another look at the twelve months of the year.
It is the poem that begins
 "January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow"
Lots of possibilities there!

Have another project for you tomorrow!!

Mickie xx


Tuesday 20 September 2016

Alpha/Dictionary Challenge 2016 Winner



Hi everyone

How's your week going so far? 
All going to plan I hope with some
lovely crafting time

So it is time to announce the latest Challenge winner
27 of you took part in the letter O

The Random Generator has started and ........
drum roll .............
the winner is



No 8

Congratulations Kay

Please contact me at
mickiecraftbarn@gmail.com
so I can send you your prize

Thank you so much to everyone who entered.
I really enjoyed my journey through your blogs

Mickie xx

Sunday 18 September 2016

Alpha/Dictionary Challenge

Good morning everyone!

Hope you are all ready for the next letter in our
Alpha/Dictionary Challenge
and this time the letter is

X

Karen has added to her tray



Have fun!

The challenge closes at midnight on 02 October 2016
and you can enter as many times as you wish
via the link.
If you can't use the link, email your pics
to me and I will add them for you
The winner will be picked
by the Random Generator on
Tuesday 04 October

I'm sure you all know the rules but just to be
sure, each entry must include the dictionary definition
or one made up by yourself.

Have fun!