Argh..........Inchies

I was asked to join in an 'Inchies' swap the theme Oriental.

Argh........never again.........it was a nightmare


They haven't photographed very well as they are embossed and shiny and have gold on them




It took me over three hours to stamp, paint, stamp again, emboss, and add collage gold on them.

They do look better in real life - but I won't be doing them again - life's too short

Lots to do Challenge - in stitches.

Phew this was a toughie on the Lots to do Challenge

Well I have had a go and given it my best shot! As always 'click image to enlarge'



My friend Kath gave me some beer mats - which I have prepared with Gesso, so decided to use one for this challenge.

A scrap and I mean a scrap it only just fitted the coaster - of ancient material - I knew it would come in handy - was used to cover one side of the coaster.

I printed out an image and enhanced it with inks - love that blue colour! It took ages to dry! I then cut out the section I wanted, and glued that on too. I cut out a little phrase and adhered that too - rather fiddly!

I found some vintage buttons in my rusty old button tin, and stuck those on too - I was going to sew them but the coaster is rather thick so didn't want to risk messing it u

I added blue to the buttons to take off the shine a bit - but I might wipe it off - as I am not 'sure about it' what do you think? I either need to add a lot more blue - or to return them back to their original colour.

I distressed the material so that was frayed and ran a black ink pad around it to enhance the fraying.


p.

BIA Note Book - Green - TGIF Challenge

I thought I would have another go at the TGIF challenge this week Green.

Hmm - it really was a challenge for me - I am not a lover of green - but here is my effort. Not sure which photo looks best so am adding both LOL

(Click images to enlarge)



Using a bit of recycled card which I covered in a scrap of leftover white paper, I sponged all over with green Ecoline ink. With a darker green I stamped a background stamp all over it. Which in hindsight was a complete waste of time as I decided in the end to add an image.



I found a sepia image I liked, resized it and painted it different shades of green. It is painstaking work, as all the leaves I painted individually with a tiny brush - the hardest were painting ivy looking leaves in the foreground.

I really enjoyed doing it though. Once it was all dry, I mounted it onto the inked card, then using another stamp from the Elusive stamp plate I bought - I stamped -
'Art is the pigment of your imagination'. When I saw that stamp - I just loved the wording - and hunted for something to go with it.

This image gave me the impression of the lady staring into the pool, imagining....................

I got both the notebooks made today - you can tell my husband is out bowling - I got a guilt-free play time, without any interruptions!

BIA Note Book - Paris Parfum

Still making art from recycled scraps, this is a 5"x3" Bind it all note book, made from cardboard from a box which had acetate in it, and a lined notepad from a supermarket.

I ordered some Elusive stamps in their sale - and was delighted to get four out of the eight items I ordered - and here is one of them. I only have a few 'sentiments' or words - and now look for plates which contain at least some words.

This came from the Paris Parfum plate. (You can click on the image to enlarge it)


I stamped the background which looks just lovely on it's own - but decided to add a bit of texture for extra interest.

I used another stamp to recreate a 'business card' from the Perfumery, on another scrap of the same card (thick card so its really good), which I embossed so it looks lovely and shiny in real life and feels great.

You can't really see it in the photo but I edged all around with a black ink pad and 'smudged' it to give it a softer border.


I used the same thick card for the back of the book, and covered both side of it - and the back of the front cover, with scrap paper. I think it must have been something my daughter in law gave me. It looks and feels like hand made paper and is the same colour and texture as the card. It is stamped all over with painted silver swirls, very similar to those of the stamp I used. It looks and feels lovely, almost velvety and is very thick. (I had to iron out the folds first!)

I rather like the effect of the natural card and then the natural type paper. I will add fibres and probably a charm or two when it comes to giving or sending it to someone as a gift.

Art on a budget - Tags

Following on the theme of making art from recycled 'material' that was featured in Craft Stamper - I thought I would show you some things I have been doing with 'stuff' from a charity shop. Once a week I spend a morning at college so go early to get a parking spot - which gives me just enough time to walk into the town centre to a charity shop.

This week I bought some children's dominoes - 50p for a box of 26. Really thick chipboard - what a bargain. So I decided to make a couple of tags - just experimenting with different things before trying them out on something 'precious'.


This is an 'image' on painted a tag painted black with some 'colouring' and then varnished. It has come up really well - I have not done the other side yet - apart from painting it - but I am really pleased with the result - and it was easy to punch a hole through too.




I wanted to make a large tag for the keys to my studio. Somehow they always manage to get 'lost' in out pot of keys - so this tag is now a key ring.

I painted both sides with Gesso to hide the pictures on it, added the black and white image of a Geisha and gave her a coat of Gesso so make her look misty and mysterious. I then highlighted some areas with a black pen, painted it with two coats of varnish (I want it to be strong and waterproof) then gave her a little tinge of pink here and there. The calligraphy are Spring, Summer, Autumn, (couldn't get one for winter) so the last is 'Art'.


I know this is bright and 'in your face' but that is how I wanted it to be so that it is easy to see, if I gets put down somewhere! Again - white Gesso, stamped image, varnished twice, then swiped over with alcohol ink which was an experiment- so I now know that I can varnish something and add colours to it afterwards. And it even coloured the metal eyelet.

This now has a keyring and a couple of very heavy keys attached and it works a treat.



Here is the before photo - they are quite large - 3" x 2" approx





I think 50 for 26 chipboard tags is a bargain - don't you?

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Oriental Book Covers - Finished!

I spent the morning finishing off my book covers. I had already varnished them - and they felt like leather - and I could bend them back wards and forwards without them cracking. (I was actually trying to see of the varnish would crack to add to the aged look!



I very gingerly added red to the Japanese image - bit by bit as I had varnished the cover as I mentioned so it made it a bit difficult. But I think it looks better with the red. It is so hard to photograph because of the gold work I did.




The covers I mounted on thick card (recycled cardboard box) so its really thick and strong, and then I covered the insides with Basic Grey paper, then edged it and the sides in black to give it a nice finished edge - which is hard to see as they are photographed on black velvet.


It is meant to have that 'grungey' look - took me ages - to make it look old. The gold paint on both covers is lovely and golden - but I had to tone this down to stop the glare so it looks rather dull. This too has a wonderful varnished sheen with embossed TH red mask in the middle.

I was going to add an image but thought it might be a bit OTT but depending on what I decided to fill the book with - I might got for a Japanese proverb or a saying of leave it be.

I usually give all my 'stuff' away - and just have any photos of here to remind me - but as this has turned out well - and is so much better in real life - and I just love the textures - I might just keep it for myself - well for a while anyway.

Thank you for all your lovely comments they are so very much appreciated