Category: Art and crafting styles

Yesterday I had a fab day over in Harrogate at AFTH at a Teesha Moore style artjournalling class led by Tracy Scott. It was such fun to create some very different style pages to my usual stuff.

I used my Dylusions square journal and chose pink and blue as my base colours. These look very bright in the picture but they are slightly more muted in real life. And after this coat of paint… It was magazine cutting and sticking happy time pretty much until the end of the session.

I took these photos at various stages of the layers.

And the discovery of focal images to use.

Then it was time to get pens out and start doodling.

I haven’t finished both pages yet but this is how I’ve left them.

As per usual I am not 100% happy with my writing but sure I can do something to fix that at some point and at a bit of a loss as to how to finish the one on the right. But again I will get there eventually I am sure!

A lovely day of being creative ad pushing myself out of my comfort zone in terms of style.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I finally get to share what I made for Chris’ circle journal. She had made her journal using cardboard envelopes… so fab and very unlikely to fall apart with using mediums on them as they are nice and sturdy. She also had a fab idea of giving some prompts and the one I had for mine was to include numbers of different kinds on it. So I went to town with the numbers!

Here was the first layer I created.

I used plenty of soft and earthy colours of Fresco finish paints to create the background and then added stamped numbers from lots of different Paperartsy sets.

Then using an Andy Skinner stencil I added some iridescent medium. Then I left it to dry.

The next day I added some more paint to tone down the background a little and added some stencilling, splatters and marks with the edge of a credit card.

I must admit I still wasn’t sure what to so with this page next. I grabbed some paper that had an index from an atlas on it, ripped it and added distress oxide in fired brick and vintage photo and then the mojo started to work properly. Next thing I knew I had been sewing on the machine and by hand, stamping the main image. Stamping and embossing with frantage and I had this lovely sewing themed page.

The finishing touches were to add some Tim Holtz stickers (including some number ones) adding some inktense to them.

I am so pleased with how this ended up. I really had no idea where to go with it but it came together beautifully and I enjoyed making it immensely. Just hope Chris likes what I did.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Yes I thought I would join in with the Christmas in July madness … but also enter the Paperartsy aqua challenge again… and make another YouTube!

So the plan is to make ATCs which will end up as card toppers for Christmas cards.

I started with a piece of card 6×11.75 inches and added the distress oxides (cracked pistachio and broken china) with a blending tool. Then added some water drops and lifted some colour. Next I added some stencilled elements. Then took another stencil and removed colour using water again.

Next more pattern using stamping using the Darcy Christmas stamps.

Then I cut up the panel into ATC panels. Then I added clear texture paste through a stencil and left them to dry.

Next step was to add some netting or some muslin and machine sewing to adhere them.

Finally embellishment and feature stamp time! First pictured are the stocking ones. I used a stamp from Creative Stamping magazine set and in one case I darkened it with some peacock feathers and the other I left white. The stamping was using Lost Lagoon SU ink.

The next are Woodware stamps… I love these modern deer. I used a mixture of watercolour and normal pencils to add colour.

And finally (I couldn’t not do a tree based one!) Festival of Trees and embossing to create the last two.

Super happy with these and in total (without drying time) they took about an hour. So that’s 6 card individual arty card toppers made in an hour towards the Christmas batch. Not bad!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I had a day of crafting with my lovely friend Helen who had some lovely scrapbook pages to inspire us. 

Here are the three I made (there is one in progress awaiting photos) … 

All of them were using the Color Theory suite of papers, cards and Colourful seasons stamp set for the stamping elements. 

I love how these all turned out. Lovely colourful pages full of interest. 

Thanks so much Helen. 

Happy crafting!

Catherine 

I do have an excuse for being late with my father’s day card… my parents live in Spain and although I could have popped it in the post to him, I decided to save the cash and give it to him when he was back in the uk. So today he got to open his father’s day card. 

It was quite a simple card to make. I used the painty background I created in a session with friends last month and then added the Dad stamped letters  (DoCrafts/papermania) which I heat embossed and cut out. 

A fun and easy card. So happy fathers day dad! 

Happy crafting!

Catherine 

It’s been a while since I joined in with the paperartsy challenge blog but when I saw the challenge was aqua I had to play along. 

I love all aqua based colours and whilst I didn’t have a clue what to make at first I decided to grab this jar shaped Wendy Vecchi Art Part from the stash and use this as the starting point and go wherever the muse sent me. 

Well I started with the Green Patina paint from Seth’s collection. Then crackle glaze and the lovely Mermaid as my aqua coat on top of it. I then chose one of the heart stamps from Darcy’s set and used Baltic Blue to stamp randomly on the background. 

Next I sanded it down to remove some of the mermaid and leave the Green Patina shining through and then added more of the Baltic Blue to the edge and in particular the lid of the jar. 

I then added some green metallic wax around the edge which is more of a teal than a green.  Then I chose an aqua coloured flower from the Artful Days goodie box and some green bakers twine to wrap round the top. 

Finally I finished it off with the little hand stamped sentiment of Jar of Hearts. 

Really happy with how this little play ended up. Not entirely sure what to do with it mind you… ahem! Ah well it was fun playing with it! Maybe I just stick a hook on the back and hang it up! 

Any ideas gratefully received. 

Now as for the Paperartsy challenge I was mainly inspired by the starting post with all the beautiful photos Darcy had selected for the theme… but I did also love seeing the bobbing bottles that Keren did on the blog. Just love that fun way she created water. 

Happy crafting!

Catherine 

I made this quick one layer card for a friend who I was swapping with so thought I would share it. 

I masked off about 2/3 of the card front and then added the Wilted Violet distress oxide with a blending tool. I then took a butterfly stamp and stamped that using the same ink. 

I then splattered some of the distress ink onto the card and some water onto the inked panel and lifted some colour. Finally I stamped the sentiment.

A really simple but effective card. 

Happy crafting!

Catherine 

I have three ATCs to share tonight that I made for a swap where the theme was to make them with three different techniques.

First I went for watercokouring a stamped image using inks. I love these Mediterranean Moments stamps for this.  I started the whole thing off with a light brayered ink background and mounted it onto a black atc panel.

The second card was using distress inks and a stencil to create the background.  I love this beautiful flowery background. I then heat embossed the sentiment.

And the final one… I went for a mixed media assemblage with lots of yummy texture and fun art alchemy paints.

These were such fun to make. And another three towards my 365 target! In fact I have a plan for the final 65 so think there may be a bit of slow down on the ATCs in the coming months as I take a break from blogging daily (holidays etc. get in the way!). But don’t worry I will finish my challenge and no doubt will not stop making ATCs when I hit the target.

Happy crafting! 

Catherine

I couldn’t resist trying this wonderful technique of making a masterboard for some cards but using distress oxides rather than paints. And I was super impressed with how it worked.

I filmed it all… here is the link. 

And here are the final cards. 

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I have another postcard and another video for you today.

The theme for the month art postcard swap I am involved in is Nursery Rhymes or lullabies.  Well I am not convinced that with that theme you would expect what I ended up making… but it still is the theme … I promise.

Here is the process video.

And here is the card. 

Certainly far from cutesy or sweet… not entirely sure why my mind went a bit horror like… but I LOVE how this turned out. So much fun making and love the different take on the theme.

Happy crafting!

Catherine