Saturday, December 4, 2010

Smooch Inks with Kelsey

On Thursday at Kelsey's ATC class, we all had an opportunity to 'play' with Smooch Inks. A little of this product goes a long way. Yesterday I played even more, when I received some new stamps from Stampotique Stamps.


As you can see, I went a little bit 'nuts' with my old Dragonfly stamp from Stampers Anonymous. I wanted to try several different colour schemes and have added some Martha Stewart micro beads to the corners for highlights as well some Ranger Stickles to add glitter to the wings without interfering with the Smooch colour underneath. (The scans do not do justice to the colours I have used.)

This is the other side of the Dragonfly stamp. (This one is probably my favourite.)









'Moth Fab' is an old stamp I got from Stampotique a while back but the fance is one I received yesterday and thought would add another layer to this piece.








'Weasel with Sign'
Another new Stampotique stamp.
(unfinished)








'Angel Boy'
Another new Stampotique stamp.
(unfinished)



Go to Kelsey's blog to see better examples of this technique.
Happy Crafting.
Sonia :-)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Marbled and Crackle ATC's

The last two sessions with Kelsey have been on marbling and metallic crackle.


'Delicious'

The background has been done with the marbling technique using Distress Reinkers in Fired Brick and Black Soot. I have then stamped the background using one of Michelle Ward's stamps.
German scrap with some Treasure Silver and some read pearls complete the piece.






'Attitude'


The background for this is using the metallic crackle backround in Halo Blue Gold (Lumiere) on black card. The gold embellishment at the top is from the cuttlebug range - Wrought Iron. The picture is of silent screen actress Theda Bara.







'Children Need Love'

This has used the same background technique as above. I have used a metallic copper and then dry brushed some Jo Sonja Iridescent Turquiose to give it an aged patina. German scrap, brads and some Cinnamon Stickles add interest and Treasure Copper and more Iridescent Turquoise to the edges, complete the piece.





Happy Crafting
Sonia :-)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Another Journal Page

It has taken me some time to get this page how I wanted it!! The stem and leaves are a stencil that I have designed and cut out of plastic and used Distress Inks over the top of. The quote is from the 'Quote Garden' website. I have masked the central flower and used green distress ink around it to make it more prominent and to add focus to the overall piece.
Hope you like it.

I have also been working on some more ATC's and will post them in the next few days.

Happy crafting.


Sonia :-)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Journal

For the past few weeks I've been trying to make some pages for a journal. I have had inspiration from Teesha Moore's blog looking at all the amazing pictures she has made for her new studio in San Francisco. These are my first two attempts. Hope you like them.


Sonia :-)




(Cover)


Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Tile Canvases



'Vintage Memories'
These are the tile canvases that I have been working on over the past week or so. I have taken inspiration from Natalie Wolfe (go to the Scraptivate website to access her blog) who has a wonderful collection of tile canvases on her blog.
For 'Vintage Memories' I have used Collections papers with a Scrapware frame and corner scrolls, as well as Martha Stewart microbeads and several cuttlebug cut-outs.







'Venus'
This uses my favourite picture once again, but this time in a tile arrangement. I have used Jo Sonja's Opal Dust on the frame, which I am really pleased can be seen on the photo. This has also been used on the back of the canvas under the 'tiled' area. The same stamp has been used on the backing as on the frame. The stamped image on the texture paste spread over the frame, has been highlighted using a white marker which I have then softened by wiping back the colour.





This canvas is in black, white, silver and a neutral brown and is very simliar to Natalie's canvas. The torso in the middle has been made using a 'Krafty Ladies' mould and white resin, both available at Scraptivate.









Tomorrow I am off to Kelsey's class on Marbling ..... can't wait for her to show me more amazing techniques.
Happy Crafting
Sonia :-)

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sensational Soot


The previous lesson with Kelsey was the 'Soot' technique. This is a really easy, but very effective technique and I had a lot of fun doing these over the weekend.
The smoke alarms pealed madly and my fingers were all black by the end of the day, but what fun!!
A couple of these need the be finished i.e. named, but I thought I'd post them anyway.


'Solitude'












I will probably name this one 'Castle Moon'












'Elegant'



(The moon in this one is made out of Angelina Fusable film.)








'Moonlit'












'Dream'












'Gothika'













'Awaken'





The past few days I have taken inspiration from Natalie Wolfe's blog and made three tile canvasses. I will post these in the next few days.
Happy Crafting!!
Sonia

Saturday, September 4, 2010

More ATC's

This week I've got back to some ATC's, playing with various techniques.

'Apparition'

This is using Sheer Heaven transfer paper onto a painted background which has been sprayed with black webbing spray. The dark specks at the bottom are Liquitex 'Black Lava' applied with a palette knife.








'Enchantress'

This is just a simple ATC, using embossing, soot technique and faux wax.
what is not evident in this photo is that the spider on the faux wax is transparent and when put up to the light, it shows the light through it as I have cut out the ATC backing to allow the light through.









'Arachnoid'

I've had this background sitting in a box for ages and have finally taken the time to make something out of it.
The spider web stamp is one of Tim Holt's over the top of cardstock sprayed with Glimmer Mists and black webbing spray. The spider is the same as for my Enchantress ATC, faux wax.







'Journey'

I have used the 'Bleach' technique on this ATC on black cardstock. The bleach eats away the black pigment to leave an earthy brown tone. I have then used some Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam to paint over the top of the ocean and a white marker to add highlights to the map border.
The title is stamped in fun foam and highlighted with Rub 'n' Buff in Autumn Gold.






'Speak No Evil'

This is another background that I've had for ages in a box. Scrunched tissue paper glued to white cardstock and then sprayed with Glimmer Mists and with a little red paint flicked onto the back for a 'bloody' effect. (hehe!!) The picture has come from a goth website, slightly disturbing but it bought to mind the old saying.






'Song Bird'

This ATC uses Shrink Plastic to create highlights. The title and the bird have been stamped onto shrink plastic and then shrunk using a heat gun. The back ground is white cardstock sprayed with Glimmer Mists and then stamped with a Paper Artsy stamp.









'Artifact'

This ATC has used the Metallic Cardstock technique that I learnt from Kelsey, as well as Shrink Plastic. The stamp is from Michelle Ward.
Enjoy your weekend.
Sonia :-)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Long time between Posts!

I can't believe that it has nearly been a month since my last blog! The past few weeks have been taken up with teaching resin canvases to the lovely ladies in my home town of Corrigin. I was really impressed with the talent of the ladies and they created some beautiful canvases.
I have also been helping sew costumes for my sons school play, which I look forward to seeing on the weekend.

'Venus' is an exaple of the class I took up in the country. This is once again using the reverse side of the canvas and texture past to create the frame. Rather than paint the back of the canvas as in previous posts, I opted for an easier effect of simply using a blown up picture, cut to the same size as the internal void. (This is one of my favourite pictures, Boticelli's 'Birth of Venus'.) This meant less painting and more opportunity to experiment with dry brushing highlights around the edges of the frame using blue and gold. The beads are Mill Hill glass seed and bugle beads and a couple of the glass wiishing stones I kept from out of our old fish tank. (Never throw anything away!!)




'Beauty'
This is one of two tags that I wanted to teach to the ladies, but never had a chance to do. These are the instructions:

Steps:
1. Choose the colours that you wish to use from the Glimmer Mists. Because it is a small area we are working on, I would recommend that you use between 1 – 3 colours.
2. Select a stamp to emboss on the background and choose an embossing colour to complement these.
3. Rub the tag all over with the anit-static powder. Load the stamp with embossing ink and press the stamp into the tag where you want the image to go. Hold the tag over a piece of paper or tray, and sprinkle a generous amount of the embossing powder over the stamped area. Tap the tag gently on the back to dislodge any excess powder.
4. Heat the embossing powder using the heat gun. Angle the heat gun away from you and hold the tag at an angle so that you can see when it changes from matt to gloss. Once it has turned glossy, move the heat to another area so you don’t burn the tag.
5. On a craft sheet (or in our case the piece of plastic taped to the table) spray two colours of Glimmer Mist in a random pattern just bigger than the size of the tag. Take the tag and drop it onto the ink and then ‘smoosh’ it around before peeling it off. The ink will blend and cause rivulets to form and create random patterns on the tag. Dry off using the heat gun avoiding over heating the embossed area you have done first.
6. Using a piece of Blending foam pressed onto the Stazon stamp pad, gently rub over the edges of the tag to give it an aged patina.
7. Select a picture to mount onto chipboard and trim to size using a craft knife, steel ruler and cutting mat. Edge the picture using metallic paint in either gold or silver, depending on the base colour you have used in your background.
8. Using a strip of Grunge Paper, cut the ‘trellis’ or a design of your choosing on the cuttlebug. Ensure that when you put the die in the machine that the foam side is up and the Grunge paper is on the top between the two plastic sheets before operating the machine, as the dies can be damaged if this is done incorrectly.
9. Paint the cut-out using metallic paint to match the border on your picture.
10. Tear out your word and gently rub the edges with Distress ink to match you colour scheme.
11. Glue on the cut-out ‘trellis’, picture, word, German scrap and attach peals or rhinestones.
12. Edge the entire tag in metallic paint the same as around your picture.
13. Your tag is COMPLETE!!


'Not all angels wear wings'
These are the instructions:

Steps:
1. Using the 5cm wide masking tape, cut 3 or four pieces slightly longer than the length of your tag. Tear these lengthways into strips of varying widths. Arrange these onto the tag in layers at intervals, not just working from one side to the other. Once your tag is covered, trim the excess from the edges.
2. Mix Jo Sonja Pearl paint (about the size of a 10 cent piece) with the colour of your choice (I have used Colony Blue) only a small smear as you are using very small quantities. Use the popstick to mix the colours together.
3. Using the rectangular piece of plastic, (pseudo credit card) pick up as much of the paint as you can and starting at one end of the tag and pull the paint over the top. This is just like silk screening with a mini squeegee. If the tag is not covered repeat the process. You will need to watch out for the small ends of the masking tape, as the ‘pulling’ action of the plastic card can loosen them.
4. Whilst this is drying, cut out your picture trying to include as much detail as possible to create interest.
5. When the tag is dry (this can be finished with the heat gun, but be careful not to over heat as the masking tape will blister) rub all over with the anti-static pillow, this stops the embossing powder attaching to places other than the image you want. (Painted surfaces do not take ink well, so embossing is the best way to get an image onto a painted surface.)
6. Select the stamp you want to use and cover with embossing ink. Press the stamp into the tag where you want the image to go. Hold the tag over a piece of paper or tray, and sprinkle a generous amount of the embossing powder over the stamped area. Tap the tag gently on the back to dislodge any excess powder.
7. Heat the embossing powder using the heat gun. Angle the heat gun away from you and hold the tag at an angle so that you can see when it changes from matt to gloss. Once it has turned glossy, move the heat to another area so you don’t burn the tag.
8. Using a piece of Blending foam pressed onto the Stazon stamp pad, gently rub over the edges of the tag to give it an aged patina.
9. Glue on your picture and the small piece of German Scrap to the bottom.
10. Mount your quote onto black card and using Rub ‘n’ Buff highlight the edges in metallic shine on both the words and around the edges of the tag.
11. Glue on the quote.
12. Glue the beaded trim to the back of the tag.
13. To finish, I have glued another tag to the back to hid any paint or other work related mess.
14. Your tag is COMPLETE!


Happy Crafting!! :-)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

ATCs

Kelsey's Metallic Cardstock lesson was the inspiration for this ATC - "Steam Punk". Using Kelsey's method (go to her blog for instructions, KO...OK?) I have then run the cardstock through the cuttlebug machine using a 'cog' embossing folder. I have then sanded over the top to bring out the embossing. The picture has been mounted onto chipboard and edged with gold before it has been added using tiny screw brads. I have then added the Idea-ology 'Sprockets & Gears as well as two game spinners form the same range. The title is on Metallic tape, which I have stamped using typeset punches.



The next three pictures are of a couple of fun ATCs, dedicated to the HBO series 'True Blood'.

'Erik and Bill' are ATCs that open. Stamped with a new stamp I got from Stampitcrazy on both sides, taking care to try and match up the image, so that the door panels will be seen when the doors open. I have then spritzed with Glimmer Mist in 'Choc Cherries' and then used a white gel pen to add the highlights. I then cut the bottom, centre and part of the way around the top of the doors so that they can be opened. Attaching two small jumper rings with brads has created the door 'handles' and the addition of the crucifix give it a 'goth' feel.




(With the doors shut.)





Happy Crafting :-)

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Book Cover

This weekend I've been working on a book cover for the ATC lessons I am going to with Kelsey O'Mullane. (I didn't get a chance to go to her Rinse Aid resist lesson and therefore didn't make a cover for the technique book that Kelsey gets her students to compile.)



The cover measures approximately 20 x 15cm.

I started with a blank piece of A4 copy paper and spritzed with Glimmer Mist in 'Choc, Covered Cherries' and 'Midnight Blue', I sprayed a little water over the top before crumpling the paper up whilst it was still wet. (This creates lines of weakness where the glimmer mist penetrates easier and becomes darker, creating a 'crack' like appearance.) I then carefully opened the crumpled paper so it would not tear and dried it off using a heat gun.
The stamp is one of Michelle Ward's, stamped twice using Stazon Jet Black and Timber Brown. the 'D' rings and corners are all Tim Holtz Idea-ology products. The clasp is cut from Grunge paper using one of Tim Holtz's Harware Findings die. The Mocha coloured metal on the spine, I got from Scraptivate, embossed and then sanded to have the silver meatllic colour come through on the raised pattern, before lightly dabbing it with the Stazon Jet black stamp pad.

I have used the same coloured Glimmer Mists on the piece of gauze and used Ranger Distress Crackle Paint in 'Weathered Wood', on a rectangular piece of Grunge paper to glue the key to, before wrapping rayon thread around it as a highlight. All edges are a mixture of Plaid Folk Art Metallics in Antique Copper and Sahara Gold, which I have applied roughly with the tip of my finger and when it has dried I have dragged the Stazon Jet Black stamp Pad across the edges also.
The blue ribbon and Kaiser Rhinestones are the finishing touches.

Happy Crafting
Sonia :-)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Bird Tags and More............Tags


As I said in my last post, I have been 'playing' with Tim Holtz's 'Caged Bird' die. I have incorporated some of Michelle Ward's stamps that I picked up from my favourite store, Scraptivate. The 'egg' stamp was just the same width as the tag, so I couldn't resist using it for this project. The tags have been a lot of fun. Bigger than an ATC so that you have more room to play with, but not too big that there are too many empty spaces to fill.

These are just a couple of other tags that evolved over the week.






Happy Crafting
Sonia :-)










Monday, July 19, 2010

Tags

This week I have been playing with the new Tim Holtz die cutter "Tattered Florals". I have used the technique from Tim's 12 tags of Christmas (look on his blog) to make the 2D flowers into 3D roses. All of the following tags have started off as plain yellow post tags.

Red Rose Tag

This has started with the 'Swipe' technique. I have sprayed several Ranger Adirondak colours onto a craft sheet and dropped and twisted the tag over the top. I have dried this off with a heat gun and then used some diluted bleach to create areas of lighter shades. I have then spritzed with Moon Shadow Mist in 'Bucket O'Blood Red'. (Don't you just love the name!!) This is a walnut based stain with the lovely red glimmer to it. I have then edged the entire piece by rubbing in with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink and when this has dried I have used Golden Iridescent Gold on the tip of my finger to create the edge of gold. The rose is painted using a combination of FolkArt Metallics with a drop of Aged Mahogany Ink thrown in to intensify the colour. I have then run this through the cuttlebug and assembled the rose according to Tim's instructions. I have used several trims along with a cuttlebug die for the final design. The small loops and twists are made out of small strips of Grunge Paper which I have painted all over using Golden Iridescent Gold and then glued into loops and twisted, before tucking under the rose in the final design. A small vine patterned strip of German scrap at the bottom and a bead trim along the bottom finish the tag. I have glued another tag to the back of this once everything has dried, just to neaten the finish.

Blue Butterfly Tag

This tag was first coloured using the 'Swipe' technique again, but this time I have dabbed Distress Ink in Denim and a touch of Aged Mahogany into a craft sheet and spritzed with water before dropping and twisting the tag onto the top. I have dried this off with a heat gun and then stamped over the top using one of Tim Holtz's stamps in Denim and another in Pearlescent Paint in Pink (you can't see this in the photo). I have then covered the tag with UTEE and heated with a heat gun to melt and fix to the tag. I have edged the piece using Denim Distress Ink and then used my finger dipped in Golden Iridescent Silver to crate the silver edging all around.
For the design, I have glued a light pink rayon ribbon across the bottom and glued a light pink bead trim to the bottom edge of the tag. The 'swirl' is from the Collections range, which I have painted using the same pearlescent paint I have used in the background. The silver webbing and leaves were glued into position before the flower was attached using the brad. Once again I have glued another tag to the back to neaten the finish.

Blue Rose Tag

This tag have pretty much followed the same techniques at listed above. the leaves have been made out of Angelina Film heated and then cut out using a leaf shaped punch. The rose hase been painted using Distress Crackle paint in Picket Fence and then rubbed with Denim Distress Ink and edged with Golden Iridescent Silver paint.
My next post will be tags using Tim Holtz's Caged Bird die.
Happy crafting. :-)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

More Resin Canvases

This weekend I've been continuing to explore resin canvases. The 'Deep Blue Sea' is one that I'll probably enter into Scraptivate's latest challenge - 'Shades of Blue'. When I thought of 'blue' I thought of our blue planet and the fact that it is called this due to most of the earth being covered in water. The sea for me is a beautiful unknown wilderness with many dangers and secrets, so I thought that this canvas would be my homage to the sea.
First, I have covered the entire frame in Texture Paste including the inner frame to prevent the resin from seeping under the frame and wasting it. I then waited for the top layer to form a 'skin' before taking the end of a paintbrush and digging some lines into it. Be careful here, as the 'skin' can tear and you end up with a mess.
I have then painted the entire surface using a combination of Lumiere and FolkArt metallic paints. Light shades at the top graudating into dark at the bottom. I have then used any metal charms that I have collected over the years with an 'ocean' theme and added them to the inside of the frame. I have also scattered some washers and small bugle and seed beads amongst these metallic objects to create an underwater picture. On the inside of some of the washers I have put some Rhinestones (luckily these were jus the right size!!) in a very light blue to signify bubbles. I also added some Pearls in a blue/green to add contrast. Once I was happy with the arrangement, I mixed the resin and added it to the inner frame. The finishing touches were gluing beads in 'waves' over the top using Inkssentials 'Glossy Accents', highlighted with Stickles Liquid Glitter in 'icicle'and smeared some Golden Coarse Pumice Gel over the bottom to create a 'sandy' look. The rope and metallic netting were added and finally the words, cut from a Cuttlebug die completed the piece.


'Gothic Moon' was alot of fun. I have covered the outer frame with texture paste and left until it has started to dry and developed a 'skin' on the top layer, while the underneath is still damp and malleable. I have then used a scroll stamp to push into the texture paste to leave the 'scroll' impression. For the image, this time I have layered the resin to create a three dimensional effect to the background. I painted the background first using Lumiere paints. These paints have a beautiful sheen and finish to them. I then scattered small stars over the darkest part. The moon has been made by ironing some Angelina fibers between some Angelina Film and then using a round punch to create the circle shape. The bats are a Tim Holtz stamp, which I have stamped using Stazon Jet Black, but I had to go over it with a black 'Sharpie' as the paint did not take the stamp very well. I have then prepared the resin. I have used the 'Smart Craft' brand here. Like most resins, there are two parts, the resin and the hardener. Simply mix together and pour over your subject. It is self-levelling, so you need to make sure that the work surface you are working on is level. I have used a heat gun to bring any bubbles to the surface, where they 'pop' and you end up with a clear finish. Leave the resin overnight, so that is is well and truly set before you do the next layer. I have stamped onto two pieces of cardstock using Stazon Jet Black and then coloured one of the images with pencils, highlighting the edges of the tombstones and deepening the shadows cast from the 'moonlight'. This whole piece has then been mounted onto chipboard. I have cut out two of the large tombstones from the second piece of cardstock and mounted these onto chipboard and glued them to the first to create depth. Luckily I had a jewellry finding in the same shape as one of the stamped tombstones and I've glued this over the image too. This mounted image has then been placed onto the first resin layer along with another scattering of stars and a new layer of resin has been poured over the top. While this layer has been hardening, I have painted the gates and fence using Golden Fluid Acrylic in 'Micaceous Iron Oxide' and then spread a little 'Red Oxide onto a craft sheet and using a scrunched up paper towel, I have dabbed this onto the fence and gate to give it a rusty, aged look. The tree I have covered in black ink and then used a very fine silver pen to add highlights to show the moonlight. Once the resin is nearly hard I have pushed into it two more metal jewellry 'crosses' as the third layer to the background. (These are difficult to see, as the gates and fence have covered them.) Once the resin has fully hardened, I have attached the fence, gate and tree to the frame. The last thing I have done, (which is not evident from the photo) is to glue more of the small stars onto the frame at the top, so that the frame and the picture are linked further.

Thankyou Tag
After two canvases, I was all 'resined' out, so I decided to do a quick tag for a work colleague who has been very supportive over the past six months.

Much of the inspiration for this comes from the paper guru (as I call him) Tim Holtz.
Have a great week.
:-)


Sunday, June 27, 2010

Resin Canvas

I've had a lot of fun this weekend experimenting with a technique that I have found on Linda Baldocks blog - 'Ecclectic Visions of an Altered Journey'. Linda came to Perth in May and I was too slow to book in to one of her workshops, held at Scraptivate in Joondanna. Linda paints on the reverse side of the canvas and then arranges different objects on the inner part of the canvas which becomes a reservoir for the resin.

'MoonFlower' was my first attempt at this technique. While this is a very stereopypical design, I was more interested in the process rather than the final product. I was lucky to find some very small iridescent stars which I have scattered over the background which really 'twinkle' in the changing light. I will also add something to the border later on. At this point in time, I've looked at this project long enough and need a break to come back at it with fresh ideas at a later date


More ATC's

I had a lot of fun with this ATC 'Peep'.
I have used a scrunched tissue background sprayed with Graphite Glimmer Mist, grunge paper through the Cuttlebug to create a 'wooden' look and coloured the stamp, (from Cherry Pie)so that the 'voyeur' seems to be looking back at the observer.








For Biblical, I have used Ranger Distress crackle paint in 'Dried Marigold'on black cardstock. Once this has dried, I have scraped off some of the paint to distress it further. The effect at the top is Tyvek film. This product comes in three weights; heavy, medium and light. A verstaile product, it can be stitched, painted, inked etc, before you rub over it with an iron to get it to shrink and bubble. I have used pearlescent liquid acrylic paints to colour the film first, before ironing it between two sheets of baking paper. Varying the pressure of the iron, determines the size of the bubbles in the end product.


Until next time .........................Happy Crafting!!