The Twin to the Finn Inspired Canvas

This is the 'twin' of the Finnabair inspired canvas I made a couple of weeks ago, in that they are the same size and colours and could sit side by side. I have used a Crafty Individuals' image inside the gessoed Tim Holtz frame, and the Charlotte doll was made from one of my Siligum moulds and some clay. Hope you like!

Paper Artsy Portfolio and Fresco Finish Tags

I have had a fabulous day today crafting with Brenda from Bumblebees and Butterflies. I dropped her a line last night to say I was itching to do one of the techniques they have been showing on the Paper Artsy blog and did she have any stamps she could bring with her to add to the ones I already had. I know she is a good sport! Have you been following the techniques? They are having guest designers and so far have had Helen Chilton, who I have admired ever since I started stamping, and this week it is the turn of Linda Cain who has been making some stunning projects. As I am a great fan of Fresco Finish paints and have the Portfolio crayons I was dying to have a play!

For the tags I followed Helen's technique of covering the surface with Snowflake Fresco Finish and then I scribbled on the crayons. I said to Brenda, 'I'm going to do a Helen now, as I grabbed Pink, Lime, Orange, and Yellow!' (hope she doesn't mind my saying that!). It was such fun!! then I stamped in Black StazOn as advised by Helen and Leandra, and scratched back through the crayon to the white underneath to create highlights. Loved doing this! I finished off as recommended by Linda, with Diamante brads.

I am really enjoying this series of techniques and hope they will continue with it, and am entering these tags to their link.

Recycled Ballet Dancer Make Up Bag

Over on Happy Daze the challenge for this month is to recycle. How about recycling some of your Christmas cards and decorations now you have taken them down? Or maybe some of that left over pretty packaging? Today's recycling was a Tesco make up bag that had contained nail care bits and pieces and was pink and covered in white butterflies. I covered it in Tim Holtz Composer tissue wrap so that you can still see the white butterflies peeking through. I then stamped the little girl at her ballet class from the Artistic Outpost set onto tissue paper and coloured her with Distress Inks, and added some of the text from the same set, all applied with Matte Gel Medium. I finished it off with some pleated ribbon trim, some lace flowers, and a friendly plastic flower from a homemade mould, made from a piece of broken jewellery.

I am entering this into the Artistic Outpost referral programme. If you are in the US you can get their amazing array of stamps direct from them, but if you are in the UK you can get them from Happy Daze, along with lots of other unusual crafty and altered art goodies.

I hope you will join in this month's challenge, which was chosen by me!! I love to recycle; it is so rewarding.

Great Gatsby Recycled Box

I've made this box for the Happy Daze challenge which is to Recycle. I used a gift box my mum in law saved for me at Christmas when I said I was going to be making some things for this theme. I also recycled the crystal stopper from a broken decanter. I have used the lovely Prima Moulin Rouge papers and die cuts you can get from Happy Daze, together with the Artistic Outpost Great Gatsby plate.

I am entering this for the Artistic Outpost referral programme for January. You can get their stamps directly from them if you are in the US, or from Happy Daze if you are in the UK.

I am also entering this into the Eclectic Paperie challenge which is Altered Boxes.

Tweaked Yesterday's Finnabair Canvas

Thank you so, so much for the kind comments yesterday and for the very constructive help. I have made a couple of very minor tweaks based on what you said. I used a soft charcoal pencil round the edge of the frame then softened it with a paper stump then my finger, and the tiniest bit on the bird. It may be a bit too strong. Maybe another way of doing it would have been to sponge the white die cut frame in the pale turquoise before I glued it down. If you think I have completely ruined the canvas now, don't be afraid to say as I don't feel any attachment to an item once I have made it - I just enjoy the process, and on this occasion it was very experimental and I will certainly be making more and improving. Just don't eat any of my cakes ........

A closer shot of the frame and bird
 

Canvas - Inspired by Finnabair - with Crafty Individuals' Image

I've been so inspired by the beautiful and evocative art of Finnabair - Anna Dabrowska, and I know so have many others. I've been thinking for some weeks of attempting something similar on a canvas and wasn't sure I could pull it off. She works mainly with photographs, and I wanted to use something else in their place as I don't have any photos to use. Another of my fears was, would the gesso 'take' on so many different items, and would the items fall off? I was also very scared about composition. But my main fear was, how do I know when it is done, and when to stop? All you can do, I guess, is go for it, and I use very cheap canvases and most of the other bits I picked up off the floor of my craft room so there wasn't much to lose! As far as when to stop is concerned I have decided to blog it now, and I might do some tweaks, and possibly show you again and see what you think.



A bit more of a close up of the frame and bird but difficult to see
 

The main image is a particularly gorgeous one from Crafty Individuals from one of their Miniature books. One of my aims was to try to keep this as the focus and try not to drown it, despite all the other bits I was adding, as I know this is a tendency of mine. Another thing Colin has pointed out is that I am scared of white areas, so I was aiming to keep a lot of white. I was also aiming for maximum texture, but in the background rather than highlighting it as I normally would, which felt strange. One of the things I may tweak is that you cannot really see the bird on the bird cage (top right) or the ornate frame surrounding the lady, and I have an idea for this which I may re-blog but what do you think? Do you think it matters?



The bottom portion showing the raised areas done with a stencil

Love to know what you think of this first attempt at a new style for me. I will definitely be doing this again and trying to improve. I can see it being very addictive. Thanks for your thoughts!

Recycled Shower Gel Bottle

Over on the Happy Daze blog today I have decorated an old Miracle shower gel bottle using a set of perfume bottle label stamps by Lost Coast Designs. 

This is what the empty bottle started out like:-

The challenge over on Happy Daze this month is to recycle - such a great time of the year to recycle I always think, with all those pretty bits of fancy packaging left over from Christmas. Do join us, as you could win a great prize!