Having a go at Jo Capper-Sandon's Technique - for Created by Hand challenge.

I spent all morning gardening, and was shattered, but thought I would have another look in the Craft Stamper Magazine to see if something would spark off my mojo and get me enthusiastic again.

There on the front page in the right hand corner something caught my eye. It is on page 54 and 55.

As per usual I have had to improvise - but it cheered me up doing so. The only thing I had on the list were beet mats - real ones - that my friend Kath has sent me to alter. I had already painted them with Gesso to hide the advertising, so I was up and running.

I won't go through all Jo's techniques etc - you can read those for yourselves - but here is my effort.


I didn't have those gorgeous stamps so used a couple which I did have.
I didn't have glimmer mists, so using Ecoline inks I made up a lime green and pretty blue in misters.

I did have raffia - from flower arranging - so used that to wrap around the beer mat.
I didn't have the printed acetate circles that Jo used - so made one myself which was perfect until I glued it onto the mat.

I placed a coffee mug on acetate and drew around it with a pen, then did the squiggly bit free hand. BUT when I glued it down using Tim Holtz clear glue (forgotten the name momentarily), it reacted to the ink and went all messy. In hindsight it would have been better to have the inked side of the circle uppermost!

As Jo was going for the 'grungey' look with hers, I figured the circle could be grungey too. Besides, it had taken so long to do the mat - which I was pleased with, I wasn't in the mood to start again.


I had another go at the next beer mat, and was pleased with how it turned out.
Outside the sky had turned black and the natural light was going, so instead of making four mats, I used these two to make a little shopping list book.
This book does look better in daylight - and the colours are richer than my rushed photos portray

I cut up some scrap photocopy paper I had, a bit more than I had intended, so the book is really chunky now. But I will be tearing pages out as I go.
So what's my verdict on Jo's article.

Well

It is a great technique, fun to do, and one I will definitely be doing again. If I had taken the time to prepare, think of a design, etc my attempt would have been a lot better. And if you have the 'proper' supplies listed - then it will be a doddle!

But - my motive today was just to do something as a distraction - and I am pleased with how it turned out - but I can do very much better if I tried.




Thanks for the inspiration Jo

New stamp - another notebook

A new stamp I ordered arrived today - I didn't know what to 'do' with it, so made covers for yet another note book.

I will be adding ribons, fibres and paper beads - just need to make the beads first.

Bind it All notebook

Here's another little book I made, again the covers are from mount board. I will add fibres, ribbons, and a silver charm - when they arrive in the post.


Click to enlarge photo. I liked the little bird, printed him out, and drew a branch for him to perch on.

I am going to make a number of notebooks, for fund raising later in the year.

They are nice to do when you feel a bit 'stuck' mojo wise.

The written word.

I am not in 'arty' mode lately - just messing about doing things for the distraction.

I saw that on Mixed Media Mondaythe challenge was 'The written word' so thought I would have a go.

Click image to enlarge for more detail.

I had a play making a card. I don't 'do' cards - seem to have a 'blockage' in that department.

It filled an hour or so though. It would have looked better on a cream card or even if I had inked the white card pale green or purple. It is very dark today - which is making the card look darker than it is.

Stamped on green card and added white for 'grunge' effect - coloured with inks.
Mounted on the purple card to match the stamped image, and painted the butterflies to tone in with the flower

BIA Note Books

Wednesday afternoons, if possible, I like to chill out in my studio, after a morning of 'full on' concentration at college in the morning.

Sometimes I sit there, with every good intention of creating something - and nothing springs to mind.

This afternoon was one such session. Not a glimmer of anything arty, not a spark of inspiration.

So I fell back on 'Plan B' - and relaxed making a couple of notebooks, just for the sake of making something, and 'switching off'.


The front and back covers were made out of mount board, so nice and sturdy. I covered the mount board and collaged everything else onto it. Not a stamp was in sight!

Not like me at all - but very therapeutic just sit and play, and these will come in handy for village fundraising projects later in the year no doubt,


The insides are lined notepads from a supermarket which I dismantled, and punched with the BIA.

Steph's Blog Candy

Steph's away on holiday, and to ensure that her blog doesn't get lonely she has offered some blog candy.

Have a great time Steph - looking forward to your return.

Craft Stamper - The Magazine

I bought my copy of the Craft Stamper magazine on Friday.
Had visitors all day on Saturday, and out all day yesterday. So today I took myself off to my studio for a 'read' and to have a go at the inspirational articles in there.

I was inspired by the front page so just had to try that out first.


I had a brayer - to try out the technique, but it was not the same make - and I wonder if that made a difference because no matter how hard I tried I just could not achieve the look that Tracey has.

Maybe is was my inks. I threw so many attempts away, that I improvised to make this version.

I really love the effect of the hanging branches, the butterflies, and the fairy - but without anything remotely suitable I could use to create that fabulous look, I just had a play.



I sponged on the ink colours, created a mountain and topped it with 'snow' which I embossed. I added a misty look with white chalk ink, and using an Oriental stamp I stamped the foreground several times with water reeds at different heights.

Isn't it strange the difference in colour that photographing on a different background colour makes!

I finished it off by drawing oriental style butterflies in the centre foreground, and birds flying off into the distance.

I used some Japanese kimono ribbon, to add authenticity to my 'Land of the rising sun' but it doesn't really go does it - so will change it for an organza ribbon.

I am making tags lately, mainly because I got all the free mount board and I can try out lots of techniques. They are also make great bookmark gifts.

There are so many things in this months magazine that I want to try - it will keep me busy until next months comes out!

Tomorrow I am off to see Paula who is also featured in the magazine. I don't expect to get any creative work done though, we will be too busy talking!