Category: Ellen Vargo

Alcohol Inks, Art Alchemy paints, Canvas and Mixed Media art, Ellen Vargo, Emma Godfrey, Honey Bee, In Bloom, Kim Dellow, Lin Brown, Love you More, Oh So Ombre, Pierced Blooms, Raggy Dolls, Ribbons, Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap, Washi tape, YouTube video

Mixed media Monday ATC flipbooks

Catherine

I decided to make some cute ATC flipbooks for my raggy doll sisters as a little treat to send through the post. It took me a few different sessions to put these together so bear with me with the many pics of the process.

Session 1…

I started with ATC cut from amazon packaging and made lots of layers of paint, paper and stamping.

I used a lot of different supplies and had lots of fun creating these (there are 8 of us in the group so I made one for me to keep too!).

Next I made page two …

Side one (awaiting finishing touches) and side two…

Again it was fun to just play with supplies I had to hand and make some cute ATCs.

Next session I played with alcohol inks on slightly shiny card and created these cards… after playing with the alcohol ink, I stamped and embossed a grungy background stamp from the stash, added back washi and then stamped the Bee onto some French bookprint.

The reverse I used the same alcohol ink but more of a blended finish and added some stamped leaves, die cut flowers and a sentiment with a fun resin centre for each of the flowers.

I also worked on the back card which I also made from corrugated card and added more of the neon pink paint.

This time I added it after adding some Tim Holtz tissue wrap with matt medium and also added some black gesso round the edge. I then used some art alchemy paint in black for some sparkle (it doesn’t really show in the photos unfortunately). I then used black gesso to paint the wooden Love word and glued them into place and added a sparkly gem and some dots of black enamel to finish off. They were still drying in the picture so not the best pics but you get the idea.

I kept the back really simple with scrapbook scrap paper and a stamped and sticker date. I later signed my name but that didn’t make it to the photo archive! Also the odd one out here was the one for me as I ran out of the paper I had been using for the rest!

I did add a couple more pages but didn’t photo them whilst unattached … plus included little messages for my friends. I did however make a little flip through video and share it on YouTube.

Then I punched the top of each card with my cropadile and used a colourful book ring to fix them together.

I then went mad with ribbon scraps adding little colourful bits of trim to each of them… here they all are on my floor ready for packing.

I hope you liked this little project, I certainly had lots of fun making them and thinking lovely thoughts about my friends, whom I got to know 10 years ago this year.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

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Canvas and Mixed Media art, Ellen Vargo, Gelatos, Faber Castell, Gorgeous Grunge, Masks/Stencils, That's the Ticket, Timeless Textures

Art Journal page for me!

Catherine

Another Art journaling page in my Dylusions journal just for me, with no pressure, love it!

I started with sticking things on the page that had been randomly on my desk either as left over bits from other projects or things I’d not got around to using yet.

This included the stamped flower on the left hand side, a piece of sewing pattern instruction, a stamped tag and the gelli printed circle.

I think the page also had some wipe off from another project on it as the gelatos had some different reactions in a few areas.

So I added gelato to the page with the exception of the flower panel that had already been coloured. I think it was distress inks used on that.

Next I added the iridescent texture paste through a stencil to the right hand side of the page and left it to dry.

I then added stamping using some different stamps… Gorgeous grunge, that’s the ticket etc. I also added some splashes of green acrylic ink and copper acrylic ink.

Next I worked on the flower that I stamped from a Creative Stamping magazine and coloured using promarkers to create a soft, no line effect. I fussy cut it out but decided it needed something between it and the background.

I had a hunt in my stash and found these stickers that I think were meant for scrapbooking.

After adding them and the flowers it was time to add doodling and the sentiment stickers. I also found the orange gems in my stash and stuck them down too.

I decided the flower on the left needed pushing back so added some gesso using my fingers and blending it on that panel and a few other spots.

I also took the Twisted citron distress oxide and did a little bit of stamping to add a little lime green onto the page too.

Once again it was fun to create with no pressure of time or finished product. The photos in the daylight show it off so much better… shame most of my crafting is done in the evening so I don’t enjoy the cokours quite as much when creating… maybe I need to invest in a proper daylight lamp?!?

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Ellen Vargo, fresco finish paints, Paperartsy, Lin Brown, Masks/Stencils, Paperartsy - stamps, Tim Holtz

Calendar – August 2019

Catherine

For Christmas I gave my parents and my auntie a calendar I had made with a postcard sized piece of art on each month… so today I am sharing their August artwork.

I decided that I wanted to use the Tim Holtz wildflower dies so built this around that idea.

I created a background using Paperartsy fresco finish paints and stencils and stamps. Then I added the wildflowers stamps using dye based inks and heat embossed them with clear powder.

This gave a subtle layered effect to the background.

Next I did cut some of the flowers and then added paint to them in the same colours using a sponge to create a mottled effect.

I adhered them and then added shading using Big Brush Pitt pens.

I then heat embossed the sentiment and edged the panel with versamark and added more embossing powder to that too.

Love these … so many details and layers.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Darcy, Ellen Vargo, Gelli Plate, Hot Picks, Lin Brown, Lynne Perrella, Masks/Stencils

Finishing off cards from the gelli plate play session

Catherine

So I’ve finished off the cards I made at the beginning of the month for the gelli plate play session.

All of them I added shading using a big brush pen and Tim Holtz stickers for sentiments.

Some I added embellishment using sequins, card candi or stickles.

Love all of them and how they feel now they are finished!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Baked Texture embossing powder, Canvas and Mixed Media art, Distress resist spray, Ellen Vargo, Hot Picks, Lin Brown, Masks/Stencils, Paperartsy - stamps

Etiquette art journal page

Catherine

This year I am going to try and do more art journal pages in my own art journal as I neglected it last year in favour of swaps … so I’ve started with this page.

There was some stencilling on the page already in bright pink which started me off and determined the warm colour choice. I added the fossilized amber distress stain all over the page and then added some spiced marmelade and abandoned coral in a few places.

Once dry I added the partial stamping of some random stamps from the bits and bobs stamp box using archival inks. I also added some stencilling using distress ink.

Then I used some ephemera pieces from an old Artful Days goodie box which I inked using the distress stains and then distressed further to give them even more of a shabby chic look.

I also added the image stamped on fabric which I sewed around as per the art weekend we had last year with James Sharpe. I added them together along with stamped tickets. Then I added some flicks of distress resist spray to which I added some baked texture embossing powder so add even more grunge.

I added this to the background and then started adding stickers and the title (cut from some more ephemera) and added doodles using both a gold and a white posca pen. I also added a little bit of additional sparkle using a spectrum noir sparkle pen.

Really love how this came together and it was good to play in my own journal for a change.

Hope you liked seeing the final page too.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Artful Days Goodie Box, Canvas and Mixed Media art, Distress oxide ink, Ellen Vargo, Inktense, Derwent, Lin Brown, Masks/Stencils, PATWITS circle journal

Lime and Teal circle journal for Claire

Catherine

Another circle journal page, this time for Claire and I fancied playing with texture… lots and lots of texture.

I started with some gesso to provide a sketchy backdrop. I loved the kraft cardstock that the journal was made from so wanted to preserve that for the edge of the pages.

Once that was dry I added texture paste through a stencil and left it to dry.

Next I added some more texture using the glass bead gel and again left that to dry.

Then I added colour using the distress stains in twisted citron, cracked pistachio and peacock feathers. I then added some strips of papers and some twine. I also added some other stamping in the background to add some different areas of colour.

I also added the cute wooden birds which I added colour to using the oxide and some clear embossing powder to add shine.

I wanted to add some darker colour so I added some Inktense and some splashes of black ink in places to add a different contrast.

Then created the focal point of the stamped element and the sentiments for the titles with embossing and inking.

Super happy with the way this came out and how different it is from my previous pages using these colours… it’s amazing how the colours can lend themselves to these different pages.

And if you are interested I made a video of the process… here it is.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Art and crafting styles, Baked Texture embossing powder, Distress oxide ink, Ellen Vargo, fresco finish paints, Paperartsy, Hot Picks, Lin Brown, PATWITS circle journal

Rebecca’s circle journal

Catherine

Today I have something different… a big departure from all the Christmas crafting… my art journal spread in Rebecca’s circle journal.

This is actually the front and back of the spread… so when it is in the journal they are two separate pages…

I used the handmade paper I bought in York for the background and then added panels on top with black gesso and some other papers.

I still kept to the colour scheme with teals/blues and lines/greens. But took different tones for both of the pages.

On the inside I took another approach… but that will have to wait for another day! And if you want to know how it came together… I videoed it here.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Art Alchemy paints, Baked Texture embossing powder, Canvas and Mixed Media art, Clare Lloyd, Dylusions paints, Ellen Vargo, fresco finish paints, Paperartsy, Lin Brown, Masks/Stencils, PATWITS circle journal

Circle journal 4… teal and lime

Catherine

So the circle journal group is off and running for another year and this time the challenge was to choose the colours you want to use and then only use those colours with neutrals for each page you complete.

I chose Teal and Lime as my combo and here is the journal I made…

As I handmade my journal and have bound it with book rings it should be easy for people to complete their pages out of the book and then rebind it before passing it on.

I had lots of fun making my journal covers with the limited colour palette…

And using different materials and textures to create the journal!

Looking forward to this colour challenge over the full year and how I can vary it from one page to another.

The covers I kept to the black gesso as the consistent element to help cover the greyboard I had used as the cover substrate.

The feather part I probably worked longest on but decided it was too delicate as an outside cover so ended up with it as an inside page.

I started with a few stencils and modelling paste and then once dry I added black gesso as the base. Then I layered up colours with a mix of paints … art alchemy, fresco finish paint, and Dylusions.

Then once I was happy with the background I started cutting small pieces of different patterned papers in teal, turquoise and lime greens. I stuck these to a feather template I had made and created the feather.

I gave it a coat of versamark and clear embossing powder to add texture and give strength and then adhered it to the background.

Love all the different colours I got in my covers whilst remaining true to the original colour choice.

Love how these little snippets work together in this collage too.

Looking forward to working in the next circle journal I get too… and seeing how I use these colours again!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Alcohol lift-ink, Distress oxide ink, Ellen Vargo, Hot Picks, Masks/Stencils

Swap distress oxides tag

Catherine

I made a tag for a swap with lots of layers and funny techniques… I started by using the Lift-ink to stamp with the alcohol inks and added this to the tag. Then I used the distress oxides over the whole tag. Next I used a stencil to add some more distress oxides.

I then stencilled the timeless on the side using another stencil (Seth Apter). Then I splashed some of the sparks paint on the top.

Next I collected together some papers and fabrics including one of the fabric stamped panels I did at the workshop in July. I used staples and some handsewing to then finish off.

Happy crafting!

Catherine