Abstract Blue

This is my second piece of the day as I got fired up earlier when I started layering and adding bright embossing powders.

I Black Gessoed my Journal page and wiped over Paperartsy fresco Beach Hut, Sky, Baltic Blue and Glass Blue with a credit card!
Next I added some fresco Snowflake with a comb.
I added dots of silver paint applied with a stamp and then used a scribble stamp of Dina Wakleys with Black Archival, White paint and 2 blue embossing powders.
As a contrast, I added some texture with a Finnabair stamp using Coffee Archival.

What to do next puzzled me at first. I kept placing different images from archive photos but they looked out of place. Then I looked through my collection of magazine snippings and found this statement. Bit ironic as I have just piled on half a stone...but hey ho!

I made a copy of my background and used a magazine image and the sentiment as an alternative. Still like the plain one but enjoy the shape of the figure as it contrasts the background! Any preferences out there?

I designed this for the CVC challenge but will also submit it into the PA challenge which is Abstract Art.

Abstract Now

Inspired by the fabulous work of Seth Apter on the PA challenge this week, I had a play.
I started with a Black Gessoed background on my journal. To this, I scraped some spare pink and white acrylic paint and scraped it across with a comb style tool.
Next, I stamped some gold dots and left it overnight for me to think about.

This evening, I stamped circles with EEV06 in black archival and clear embossed them; stamped letters and numbers in clear and heat embossed with some bright embossing powders that I have had unused for ages.

I cut out some circles from a master board that I created the other day and linked them to the piece by stamping black EEV06 circles onto them and edging them with red pen.

Finally, I scribbled with white pen and wrote NOW for no other reason than this piece felt very now.
Excited by the brightness of it and off to Black Gesso more pages! Get tea ready?...ermm..might not bother!
Entering this into the PA Abstract challenge!

Face Tamara style

I was inspired to have another play at face drawing by my lovely friend Julie Ann. Her Snowqueen was so beautiful and she reminded me that I must go back to Kim Dellow's blog and join in with the Friday face.

I did a little research on female portrait artists and was captivated by the bold, art deco style of Tamara de Lempicka.

So, I had a play and decided to concentrate on the bold shapes that are created on her faces. I used Black, White and Gold acrylic paint for these 2 faces. Lots of places to go with this style...need to do more.

I shall include this on Kim Dellow's face on Friday Challenge.

Blue seascape

The theme over on Countryview crafts is Blue and so I thought that I would dig out some blue papers and make a picture!
I started by gessoing a journal page and used a collection of blue  TH distress inks to do a wrinkle free distressed sky.

Next, I cut out a few hills, clouds and houses and distressed some of the edges to make them stand out and assembled them. The sea is a little bit of Inktense Sea Blue washed over with water and to finish I added a sentiment!
This is my first ever play with little houses and I will probably develop this theme.
I am entering this into the CVC challenge.

A kaleidoscope of butterflies.

On the theme of abstract art, I wanted to present a canvas in a different way. I wondered what would happen if the PA fresco paints were applied to the canvas thickly and then immersed in water. I experimented with some small canvasses and then went for it on my 8x8.

I started by applying wiggles of Limelight, Purple Rain and Glass Blue to my canvas straight from the bottles.

Next, I filled my sink with water and held the canvas under the water, swishing it slightly for a few seconds. Here are the results.

I particularly like the effect of the paint as it ran down the sides.

I had to leave the canvas to dry overnight, which is not easy for Mrs Impulsive; so, I set to with the next task....printing my butterflies.

Using the new Hotpick 1506EZ...I stamped with Black Stazon onto Clearly For Art, modelling film, the clear version. I used this so that I could mould the butterfly shapes by heating the film. I also stamped some butterflies onto shiny silver card.

I painted the backs of my clear butterflies with Glass Blue and Purple Rain, cut them all out and shaped the clear ones with my heat gun. 

Back to my canvas. I mixed some Bougainvillea paint with water and puddled some of it onto the surface of my canvas....then, back to junior school, blowing the paint about through a straw. 

This included allowing the paint to run down the sides of the canvas...yummy!

Now the violent part....setting to with a knife! I slashed my canvas, making sure that I didn't go too far out to the edges which would have exposed the frame. I rolled some of the pieces back around a pencil. 

I was now at the assembly stage....attaching some butterflies to the frame and attaching some to curly wire.

I decided to put a backing of black card onto the frame of the canvas and noticed at this point that the wooden frame would be noticeable. So, I painted the inside wooden frame black and attached the black card with staples just on the top edge. I took my battery operated fairy lights and pressed them inside around the wooden frame. Most of the silver butterflies were glued to the back of the black card.

Not sure whether the butterflies are flying into the frame, attracted by the light...or flying out of the frame as they escape from captivity. Sure that some of my more literary friends on here could weave an interesting story or three!

I can lift the card up whenever I want to switch off the lights as the battery pack fitted inside my frame.

The hardest part of all this was taking photos to show off the lights etc....I probably took 30!

Anyway, thank you to the Paperartsy blog for giving me the opportunity to unleash some creativity. 

Your video intros to your themes are Golden!

Jofy Triptych

I was watching someone playing with Stampbord on the TV this morning and decided to have a play.
My lovely friend Lesley Ebdon kindly sent me some last year and this is my first play.

A minimalist Christmas card with stamping in Black Archival using 3 of Jo Firth-Young's mini stamps, a touch of Dyan inks and some gold heat embossing on the edges!

It has given me endless possibilities!

Leaf Triptych

Got to thinking about the PA blog and triptychs the other day while out for a walk and thought up this idea.

I selected some PA Chatsworth papers...PA matte glazed three of my leaves..(after pressing them), and stamped some words with black archival onto the Chatsworth paper.

Boom, boom, boom....done in a flash....double mounted and then onto some cardboard packaging. I used jute string and rusty wire to finish it off, but need a lesson from Alison Bomber on how to do that part properly!

Typical me....twas up on the wall in the living room before it had time to dry!

Am entering this into the PA challenge.

Triptych SN

Evening peeps........fabulous post yet again on the PA blog.
Something spooky happened to me tonight! I produced this Triptych and then nipped over to the PA blog to look if anyone else had posted and what did I see staring back at me.....a triptych by Leandra using Sara Naumann stamps that I hadn't noticed when I briefly scanned the topic on Sunday night! I had been at AFTH all day and was zombified so didn't absorb the input of the topic! It is so much like mine that I must have absorbed it by osmosis!

Anyway...this is what I did!

I used some PA smoothy card and glued down a piece of manuscript. Washed over it with Snowflake and then applied inks to my craft mat and dabbed them on. Wrinkle free distress.
I cut my card into 3 pieces and then stamped with SN stamps.
So, I ended up with a copy of the one on the blog......weird!
I mounted them onto card and was pleased with the result!

Face Bistre Vert

My fourth face on the PA challenge. Just enjoy trying different presentations of faces .
This time, I selected some of the original PA paper...the map one. I tore it to fit my journal page and drew the face using a Black Stabilo pencil
Next. I went over my lines with a wet brush and included a few shadows.

I bought one pot of Bistro at Doncaster Stamp Magic yesterday...the green one and was eager to try it out. So, I added some of the powder around the hair and sprayed it with water.

This is how it turned out.

Finally, and not sure about this....I added some white highlights to the eyes and gave her some lippy!

This was a very quick piece and most enjoyable!

I shall enter this into the PA blog challenge.

True Beauty

My third challenge on the PA blog about faces, because....I love the topic!
I saw an advert for some cosmetics that interested me. So, I copied the outlines of the faces and added my own doodling. I painted the skin with a mixture of PA fresco Vintage lace, Chocolate pudding and Autumn Fire. Added a few more colours and some crayoning. The doodling was with my White Uniball Signo and a few touches of Sharpie pen.
Speaks for itself really!
Forgot to say that this is quite large...it fills a page of my large Dyan journal.

I am entering this into the PA challenge.

Face, Kim Dellow style

As anyone who knows me will know....faces are something that I find challenging and like to tackle. So, after seeing Kim's linear face on the PA blog, I had to try.
I started by stencilling some fresco neutrals onto my journal page.
Next, I drew the face, which I sourced from the weekend newspaper supplement, in black stabilo pencil.
I wet a brush and used the pencil lines to smudge to create a bit of shadow! Whoops, was supposed to be linear and I went too far!
Finally, I used my Lin Brown stencil and black archival to embellish the girl and wrote the word Believe.  Simples!

I am entering this into the Paperartsy challenge.

Opulent canvas

Over on the Countryview crafts blog the theme for November is texture.
Recently, I was given a lot of trims, by an interior designer friend of mine. They are opulent and exciting....they reminded me of the style of the fabulous Lynne Perrella stamps by Paperartsy.

I began by grungepasting through a stencil onto the borders and sides of my canvas. Next, I painted with French Roast Fresco paint and finished with rubbing in some Treasure Gold.

Next, I got a piece of red felt and added some lace and ribbons to it with my felting machine, creating luscious layers and textures.

I stamped a Lynne Perrella lady using black archival and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then coloured in my image and mounted onto some embossed gold card.

I played for ages arranging the trims and metal embellishments and added TH metal corners.

My dining room is red and this will go nicely in there....being a bit of a curiosity.

Here is some of the detailed texture.

I am entering this into the CVC challenge.

Colourful face

OOOOOOoooooo!  have I enjoyed myself tonight! Faces torment me as I strive to produce them with variety....and bright colours excite me....so, a great fairground ride was experienced tonight!

I found great inspiration from the new launch blog about faces last night, and really enjoyed Kim Dellow's rendition tonight and want to try a line drawing face like hers.....but..Fresco colours and a dramatic interpretation was my goal tonight! Also, I wanted to apply some of the colour with a palette knife!

I drew my face and started like Dina Wakley, adding dramatic shadow! Bit scary, but could paint over it.

Next, I filled in the colours using every fresco paint colour under the sun! I worked and worked on it and, at times, was losing the plot! But, I carried on working and working until I felt happy!

I found the eyes the most difficult.

Finally, I applied some paint with a palette knife, particularly in the hair!

I had a great time and feel like I hit the back of the net! That's what its all about...having fun and getting excited!

I shall enter this into the PA challenge...and it would be rude not to include it in Kim Dellow's face on Friday! 

Calico bag

Another post inspired by the latest Paperartsy challenge on the theme of wearable art.

I bought a plain, calico bag for £1 at Hobbycraft a while ago and decided to paint and embellish it.

I started by putting a plastic carrier bag inside the bag so that my paint would not go through to the back and to stop it from sticking together.
I painted one side with white gesso and then painted with my brightest fresco paints, including the new Captain Peacock. I tried to stamp on top with black archival using LP CO22, but it didn't stamp clearly enough. So, I stamped onto tissue and then stuck them down with Claudia Helmuth Matte medium. I stencilled a few words and finished off with a bit of scribble using my Black Fudeball pen.
Finally, I added a small picture to the back of the bag. I sealed the artwork by brushing more Matte medium over the top.
A useful make in the week that carriers are now costing 5p.

I am entering this into the PA challenge.

Dribble Bib?

I am on catchup with Paperartsy challenges at the moment as I have been away for 10 days. I did manage to take some fresco paints onto the beach and play but challenges have not happened until today.
I love the idea of wearable art and have a plan to do stamping on a garment at some point but don't have anything that I dare to attack just yet.
So, here is a necklace that I made....it reminds me of a dribble bib and as I am nearer to my dotage than to my childhood then I fear that it may come in handy too soon! Should I make another one I will cut into the shape and make it less bib shaped!

I started by drawing a shape onto doulble calico, Gessoing and painting with fresco paints.

Next, stamped with Ellen Vargo leaf stamps in black archival. I free machined over the shapes with black cotton....I am showing the back so that you can see the patterns.

I attached some Sari silk for ties and embellished the pattern with Stickles in various colours.

So, there is my necklace/ dribble bib! Thanks for looking!

I am entering this into the Paperartsy challenge.

Brusho arrows

This afternoon I have been having a little play with my Brushos having been inspired by the fab post by Sam Butler!

I am in the process of creating a mini album/journal for the month of September. This is my third page with todays experiment!
I started by gessoing my page and then applying grungepaste through an arrows stencil.
Next, I sprinkled light and dark brown brusho and sprayed it! I dabbed and repeated until I was happy with the results!
I drew around the shapes with Black stabilo pencil and wet the lines and added a little white doodling! I stamped the word go a few times in black archival. Finally, I applied White Fire Treasure Gold to the arrows.
So, a quick play with brusho in my little book.

I think that it looks a little industrial.

I am entering this into the PA challenge.

Notebook Holder

Yesterday morning, I was sitting having my breakfast reading the latest Art Journalling Magazine from Somerset Studio when I came across the most fabulous Journals created by a group of talented ladies from over the pond!

This is my version of their fabulous creations.
1.I started with a piece of cardboard that had a fold in it and I created more folds and strengthened them with masking tape.

2. Next I gessoed it and added patterns with fresco paints to both sides!

3. I added some magazine cuttings, doodled and stencilled.

4. I sewed a pocket inside to slip in my Moleskine notebook and added a loop for a pen and a pocket for pencil sharpener and rubber.

5. I selected oddments...envelopes, tags, postcards etc and sewed little fabric flaps to them and sewed them to the left hand side where they can be lifted up and written on.

6. I washi taped all the edges; plaited some Sari Silk; made holes and threaded the silks through for a tie.

I now have a folder to take out and about and am thrilled with it!

Number 9

Over on the CountryViewCrafts blog, inspiration continues to pour in on the theme of Numbers! great variety from the Designers on there.

I decided to add my second piece to the mix.

This time, I selected some bits and bobs left over from work on Fragile Papers that I did earlier in the year on the Paperartsy blog.

I gessoed my journal page and added some torn dictionary, stamping from a Lynne Perrella stamp and  Wrinkle Free distressing using Hickory Smoke and Vintage photo distress sprays.

Next, I arranged my "found" fragile papers and, as these cardboard letters fell off of the shelf as I was looking for a brad for my flower; I decided to create the word September! 

It was my intention to repeat stamp the number 9, as in the ninth month, but the letters demanded to be included, so I distressed them and added them to the mix.

So, my number 9 is to be found in the centre of the flower.

The inspiration came when I wandered around my garden this morning and lots of plants were looking fragile and dishevelled!

I also drew inspiration from the wonderful blog belonging to the amazingly talented Diana Taylor.

So, this piece is my second entry into the CVC challenge and, like the first one, came together almost by itself!

Really like how the leaf cut out really shows off the inks underneath!

Here is the finished piece.

Numbers

Love the new topic over at Countryview Crafts and lots of varied inspiration from their designers!

I immediately started to piece together a few elements in my head.....3D numbers, plumbers tape and Grunge Paste sprung to mind.
This piece grew all by itself with a little help from me!

I started by Grunge Pasting through a TH stencil. Next, I wanted to apply the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique but couldn't press my large journal onto my craft mat. So, I sprayed some distress stains onto a small mat and pressed it onto my page! Quite pleased with the results.

Next, I added some 3D letters and fastened a strip of plumbers tape over them! I pressed them down with a ball tool and added some PA Treasure Gold in Onyxite and Sapphire.

I stamped a new PA Hot Pick, attacked it with the tiny attacher, PA letter stamps and added some Salvage Sticker numbers and a nameplate and "Voila".....here was my finished piece.

The wording pays reference to my rubbish head for numbers!

I am entering this into the CVC challenge.