Van Gogh

Van Gogh

Hi there!

Today we have 

Claire Jackson

with us and she

is going to give

us a painting demo!

Yes, art and craft - 

fantastic we could

start another art and

craft movement.......!

"For this week’s theme I took for my inspiration

 Van Gogh’s painting flowers in a blue vase. 

I have to confess that the image I was 

working from must have been reversed!

 First I roughly painted a piece of 

heavy weight card with granny smith 

and mermaid Fresco paints.

Using a spotty stencil I sponged china,

 bora bora, banana and autumn fire onto 

the top of the card, and using a stripes stencil 

I sponged hyde park, granny smith, green patina,

 banana, autumn fire and key lime onto the bottom.

Using a stamping tool and magnets to hold 

the card in place I stamped the jug. 

To do this I lightly dabbed china paint onto 

the stamp with a sponge, stamped the image, 

dried it with a heat tool and repeated it 

to build up an opaque image.

 With a paint brush I added a little southern skies

 to the edges of the stamp and stamped again

 and then again with a few highlights in 

snowflake and bora bora.

Now I have to apologise for the next few 

images as I hadn’t realised the camera battery

 was going and it wasn’t focusing properly. 

Next I stamped the leaves in hyde park 

and green patina using a small stamping block.

Then using the little flower stamp in 

different colours I built up the bouquet.

I went back to the stamping tool 

for the larger focal flowers, firstly stamping

 in white to give an opaque background, 

drying the paint and over stamping in banana.

 With the ball end of an embossing tool 

dipped in paint I added centres to the flowers

 and also some petals. 

I even attempted to recreate the 

fuzzy bit near the top

 I decided on keeping the mounting simple 

to let the image speak for itself. 

I'm not sure what Van Gogh 

would make of it but I enjoyed myself."

Materials used:

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish chalk paint:

Carabelle Studio template: concentric circles

Tim Holtz layering stencil: stripes

Card-io clear stamps: veranda view, mum’s garden

Stamping tool:

Thank you Claire that was

really interesting - if Van Gogh

only knew...........!!

Right then everyone get your

paints out and recreate a

masterpiece this weekend

using only what is in your 

crafting stash........!!

'Till tomorrow

Mickie xx

Pumpkin, Scarecrow and Halloween

Pumpkin, Scarecrow and Halloween

Hi there 

We're getting well into the season of mists now and

with all the fun of All Hallows Eve to look forward to

So with no more ado, here is another new DT Member

Louise Thomson

To get us in the mood for the new season, 

I have designed and made a scarecrow lantern 

using an old jam jar and a selection of crafty supplies.

First cut a piece of tissue to the correct size for your jar. 

Carefully blend the distress inks on the tissue using your blending tool. 

It is easiest to do this starting in the middle with the scattered straw

 and working outwards to the edges.

Once you are happy with the background colours, 

stamp your scene on to the tissue paper using the 

ground espresso distress ink.

Coat your jam jar in a light coating of 50/50 pva glue and water 

and roll it across the tissue paper scene to stick it down.

Give it a second very light coating of adhesive 

on the outside of the jar using a brush. 

This will also enable you to stick down any bits that need extra work. 

Apologies, at this point I got carried away and forgot to keep taking photographs…

Allow to dry completely before trimming any excess tissue 

from the top or bottom of the jar with a craft knife.

Use a dry paintbrush to add dabs of alchemy wax 

to the rim of the jar and in to the scene.

Make a loop of wire around the top of the jar and twist 

the ends together. Loop another piece through to make a 

handle and twist again!

Add a tea-light to your lantern to complete the look.

Materials used:

White Tissue paper

Distress inks; tumbled glass, scattered straw, carved pumpkin, lucky clover, ground espresso

Blending tool

Card-io stamp set ‘Pleasant Pastures’

Acrylic block

Paint brush

Craft knife

Alchemy wax – Inca gold

Adhesive

Craft wire

Thank you Louise for a delightful

start to the season.  

I liked the re-cycling aspect too

See you all tomorrow

Mickie xx