A new challenge Gloriously Gold

Well this was harder than I imagined it to be - the challenge sounded easy - but in practice to get something gloriously gold and looking interesting is another thing. Photos and scans do not show up the bright shiny effect of the gold - and especially the 22ct gold pen I used on this - it is so gloriously bright in daylight - but here it looks dark and dull. And 'Lily' is pale pink too - I used blusher for that.
The ATC is on the blue paper just for scanning purposes.
The collaged area is just the Japanese red and gold paper.






Now this one was very experimental. The backing paper is inked and tiny gold flecks have been added. The ATC has been stamped and embossed quite a few times to build up the texture - and a stamped Japanese calligraphy meaning Happiness - was stamped into the embossing.

The swirl is cardboard and painted and then heated to create more texture. 22ct gold used again on here in places. I painted a Kimono and inked in the facial features of the Geisha.






This last one is a vintage photo which I have enhanced with 22ct gold penwork - I love this image. The backing board is textured which I have painted over three or four times to make it look like a solid frame

Show me your money swap on ATCards

I saw this swap on the ATCards site and thought it rather original so I decided to join in. All these ATC cards will be heading off to America.


This is much brighter in real life. I decided to use pennies - so made use of a stamp that I have not used before - so it will fit in nicely with another challenge.
The new penny is on a really dark chocolate background onto which I stamped the wording, the swirls and an embossed those with bright copper which in daylight matches exactly the bright new copper penny. I then smudged ink along the edges and embossed that. It looks rich and textured to the naked eye and the chocolate background really makes the embossing shine out.




A totally different effect for this ATC. Grunge! I wanted it to look old to match the old penny I had - so it looks like something excavated from an old building. The backing card I have inked with browns, black, and a yellow. I used a face stamp, then the wording - thickly embossed and scratched when dry to give it a 'distressed' look - and to make it appear as though the wording is the body. Inked, embossed and scraped the edge embossing, and finally added the old coin - but using sandpaper to just clean up the raised surfaces of the coin so they match the embossed copper.



Another variation with the same words and techniques, but this time I stamped script on the right hand side, over stamped and embossed with copper, then coloured the left hand side with chalks to tie it in with the colour of the script.



This last one is totally different. A mustard backing with brown ink smudged on it randomly, and red and greens randomly slashed across the bottom.

The stamped face of a little girl with a pensive expression - thinking of course - which I clear embossed for texture and contrast.

The wording stamped in brown then embossed. Patina added to the coin them wiped off to create a brown coloured penny - which takes the place of the O.

4x4 Friday

I have made this for the 4x4 Friday challenge this week

I backing is hessian glued onto card - then heated with a heat gun - when dry I painted it with old gold acyclic.

Postage Stamp ATC - Signing of the Magna Carta

Water coloured background, stamped and embossed Latin script, embossed postage stamp, gold nib distressed

Postage Stamp ATC

Water coloured painted background, stamped image with postage stamp, watercoloured stamped feather.

Postage Stamp ATC

The lady is a faux postage stamp rubber stamp - and the other triangles stamps are post relateda

A challenge from ATC Linda B

Well Linda - of ATC Linda fame set a challenge to make something black and white with texture - and here are mine.

Both were made the same way - a black and white picture I printed out and then painted over with watercolour and acrylic paints in some areas to highlight things and to give texture to the painting - with the intention of making them look like old oil paintings.

The borders were made by painting with acrylics and then when almost dry bubbling it up with a heat gun.

I used silver paint and made it look like pewter by painting on black water colour.





As well as painting over this picture I distressed it by painting on a lacquer and then heating it with a heat gun to make it bubble and melt and flow.

They look so much better in 'real life' than these scans portray. The frameworks really look like metal and they are both really tactile.

As you can probably guess I am very into touchy-feely things!