My First Art Journal Page!

Hi all, I'm back today to share an art journal page I made yesterday, my very first one! I had watched a few YouTube videos by some very talented people (Vicky Papaioannou and Mimi Bondi) and felt inspired. I dug out my unused acrylic paints, and nipped out to WHSmith to buy an inexpensive journal, and set to.

First I lay down some strips of torn book pages, I found an old copy of The Hobbit in our bookshelves that was literally falling apart, so didn't feel too guilty using this. I stuck them down with Mod Podge, and let dry. When that was dry, I covered the pages with some white gesso and again, left to dry.

I then played with 3 acrylic paints, one by DecoArt - Citron Green, and two from PaperArtsy, Cherry Red and Turquoise. I applied them randomly over the pages using my fingers.

Once I was happy with the general look ( I have no idea what I am doing haha) I left to dry, then gave it another wash with white gesso, this time using a baby wipe so it was not opaque, just toned down the paints.

Then it was time to choose which stamps, and embossing stencils to use. I ended up using this wonderful image from Visible Image from set 'No Space for Dreams'.

I used two Dinky Stencils from That's Crafty - Bubbly All Over and Star Shower, using the three paints I had used for the background. I then added some more Dinky Stencils using the Raindrops Background in PaperArtsy Chalk acrylic paint.

I stamped and embossed the birds from two Visible Image sets, 'Learn to Fly Again' and ink splats from a retired set using Memento Luxe ink in Teal, and clear embossed.


I stamped the main image using Staz On ink onto white tissue paper, and applied with Mod Podge, it dried clear and I was pleased to see there was no discernible edges from the tissue paper.

I did the same with the fab sentiment, also from Visible Image called 'Free Soul'. Around the edges I used a background stamp also from Visible Image, stamped in Memento Luxe Black, and clear embossed.

Finally I went over both pages with DecoArt Ice Crystal translucent glitter paint, and when dry, I added some super glittery Opal Dust.

I really enjoyed making these pages, and I didn't make too much of a mess!

I would like to enter this into the following challenge-

That's Crafty - Bling it Up!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

That's Crafty, CASE this Sketch

Hi all, another post from me this morning! I have two cards to share for a couple of challenges - That's Crafty have a Red and Green theme, and I made a card also for this week's CASE this Sketch.

I used the same Tim Holtz stamp set as I did for my card last week, the butterfly is so beautiful, I just can't stop using it! I embossed the butterfly in two tone gold and green powder, and it shimmers beautifully. I then fussy cut and set aside, while I stamped the background directly onto the card.

My next card is for bot That's Crafty and CASE this Sketch Challenge. Here's the sketch:

Again I have used the beautiful butterfly, this time stamped in Versamark and embossed with White sparkly poder, and it sparkles in the sun!

I then took a piece of Brusho background in red and green, cut to size, and layered it onto some silver mirri card. The sentiment is from Prima.

I would like to enter the top card into:

That's Crafty - Red and Green


I would like to enter bottom card into:

That's Crafty - Red and Green

CASE this Sketch - Sketch 165

Thanks for stopping by,
Pauline

That's Crafty - Red & Green

Hi all, I'm back again! Today I have a card made for this fortnight's challenge over at That's Crafty, and the theme is red and green. Not my favourite pairing of colours I will admit, and this card has ended  up completely different to how I had planned it!

I have used my new Tim Holtz stamp set Perspective, which features this beautiful large butterfly. I stamped the butterfly in black embossing ink (I find my pot of black embossing powder is very messy, and doesn't give the sharp lines of an image) and embossed in clear powder. I then fussy cut, and coloured with Barn Door and Peeled Paint distress inks. I added some sparkle to the wings using my new Spectrum Noir pens, I'm not really fussed on them, but I will try and use them!

For the background, I stamped the number stamp in Barn Door randomly, then overstamped with the butterfly using Peeled Paint. I distressed around the edges with Black Soot. The sentiment is from the same stamp set - I was going to colour in the first word, but I thought there was enough red and green on here haha! Finally I added some sparkly gems to the body of the butterfly.

I have a few more ideas for this set, and some half finished pieces which I will hopefully finish later.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Red & Green

Glitter 'n Sparkle Challenge - Anything goes

Moving along With The Times - In the Garden (butterflies in the garden)

Southern Girls Challenge - Nature

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

Mixed Media for a Few Challenges

Hi all, I'm back again! Today I have a mixed media card to share for a few challenges. Last month I was a top 3 pick at That's Crafty (thanks ladies!) and their new challenge is up - this month they would like to see the use of Stencils or masks on a project. And over at Mixed Media Card Challenge, they would like to see Trees on our cards, and over at More Mixed Media Challenge, they want to see us use green on our projects. So feeling inspired by Green, Trees and Stencils, I set to.

I created the background by first sprinkling some Leaf Green Brushos onto some damp watercolour card, and allowed to dry. I then sprayed it with Tattered Angels Dazzling Diamonds shimmer spray.

Then I stamped the cup rings from Clarity Stamps  Journaling set in Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles distress ink. Then I  randomly stamped the script also from Clarity Stamps in Crushed Olive distress ink.

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For the stencilling, I used a That's Crafty Stencil,  Distressed Harlequin, and some Cosmic Shimmer paste in Champagne Gold, and set aside to dry. The tree is a Cheery Lynn die, and came with little woodland creatures, which I have also used here, they were too cute to throw away! I cut them with a sticky backed piece of cork, and adhered directly to the card. To finish off I stamped the sentiments from Jofy Stamp Set 11 in Pine Needles, and added some liquid pearls in Peacock green dotted around the card and on the little critters eyes.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Stencils

More Mixed Media Challenge - Green

The Mixed Media Card Challenge - Trees with added option birds - I have an owl in the tree.

Make My Monday - Square card

Simon Says Stamp - Make your own background

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

My First ATCs!

Hi all, I am here today to share my very first ATC cards! There has to be a first for everything, and this is something I have always shied away from - the size, I thought would just be too small to make anything worth using, or looking at! How wrong I was! I was inspired to try my hand at ATCs for the challenge over at That's Crafty.

So I have made 5 ATCs, all using either a brusho or sprayed stamped background, and all stamps used are by Visible Image. I got all my Brushos from That's Crafty store.

For my first ATC, I have used some orange and green DecoArt paint sprays. Over the splatters, I stamped this lovely grungy Flower INKognito in Versamark, and embossed with gold detail powder. The sentiment was stamped in Tuxedo Black, curt out, and distressed with Walnut Stain, and I stamped the ink spots around the edge using a stamp from Free Your Imagination set, and gold embossed.

For my second ATC, I have used an off-cut from a previous project, and I'm so glad I kept this piece! I stamped the cracked glass image in Versamark, and clear embossed. Then, I sprayed the card with water, and sprinkled a few colours of Brusho pigment paints, and they reacted beautifully with the water and the design. The finished sheet looked like stained glass. All I needed to do here was to trim the offcut to size, distress the edges with Walnut Stain, and stamp the sentiment from the Sunshine set. I inked around the edges with Mowed Lawn distress ink, and a bit of Walnut Stain, and stuck it on with foam pads.

For my third ATC, I used a Brusho background, over which I stencilled a Tim Holtz flourish design, in Festive Berries and Fossilized Amber Distress inks, then sprayed lightly with water, and patted dry with some paper towel for a softer effect.

I then stamped in Versamark the beautiful chandelier image from Chandelier Set, and black embossed. The sentiment is from the same set, but I got it a bit wonky. Never mind, mistakes make us wiser! Finally I added some gems and distressed the edges with Walnut Stain ink.

For my fourth ATC, I used a Brusho background, and used my new That's Crafty Dinky Stencil Metal Grid Background, with Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean distress inks.

I stamped the watch in Aged Gold embossing enamel, using the image from Time after Time set, but I can't find it on the website so it must have been discontinued.

Around the edge I gold embossed the dotty edge from the mini Grunge Flourish which was a freebie from a magazine, but you can get a similar stamp from Visible image in their Edgy set.

I stamped and embossed the word Time twice - first in detail gold, then again in black.

 

For my final ATC, I again used a Brush background, and stamped the heart shape from Molly Rules stamp set and gold embossed. I stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Black, and cut roughly around it. I edged it in versamark, and gold embossed. I then used my Versamark pen to gold emboss the little heart in the square.

Well, I have had a lot of fun today making these ATCs, and I have lots of backgrounds ready for a whole batch more!

I would like to enter these into the following challenges:

That's Crafty Challenge - ATCs

We Love to Create - Mixed Media, Anything Goes.

Fantasy Stampers - Love is in the Air  - for the last ATC only, (I love you just the way you are).


Thanks for stopping by today,

Pauline