Thursday 26 January 2017

Dreams

Hi and welcome, today I have been getting in touch with my more colourful side for this creation.
I used Tim Holtz Winged Things and Numeric Stamp Sets.
Tim's Stripes stencil gives me the textural stripes combined with Distress Paints which I also spritzed with water to blend.  A touch of Distress Crayons makes the colours pop.
I cut the number 7 from card coloured with Distress Paints and also added a shadow behind with a number 7 stamped with Archival Ink.
I added the perforated edge from my watercolour pad for added interest along with a Big Talk Sticker.
A touch of dimension has been added to her wings and I added delicate splatters of paint.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Saturday 21 January 2017

Live Inspired

A little mixed media piece I created using Finnabair pastes combined with a Relic piece from Prima (Sandra Evertson).
I used a Prima Tray as my base coloured with Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic. The background has been created using Finnabair's Rust Pastes applied through a stencil.
I added book pages to the centre which I crumpled and tore to add age and I also added one of my favourite Relic pieces to the centre.
I added a small embroidery hoop for added dimension.
Expression is taken from a book page and I also added some cotton threads and rusty tin wire for added texture.
I also added numbers from Tim Holtz Idea-ology along with a few Remnant Rubs. Original is another piece torn from a book page.
I love how in this picture all the layers are visible. I also wrapped rusty tin wire around the embroidery hoop, again for added texture.
To complete I added "Live Inspired" to the top of my tray. I also aged the Relic piece by giving it a wash of Raw Umber DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Wednesday 18 January 2017

Sneak Peeks - Creativation 2017 (CHA) - Eileen Hull

I thought now was the perfect time to show a few more sneak peeks of Eileen Hull's new releases, being revealed at Creativation 2017 (CHA).
This first sneak peek reveals one of my favourite dies this year from Eileen one I know will get lots of use.
This one is a slight variation using the same die, I was aiming for a very vintage/aged feel here.
And the third sneak peek offers a pop of colour using a die which is going to be perfect for housing those gifts.
I think the shape of this die is going to be a hot favourite this year. I could not attend the Creativation show so I thought I would be there in spirit, this is me when I was a child.

Eileen drives to the show in her camper van, better known as Scotty.
This was Scotty at the show last year. I am looking forward to all the demos and reveals this week, hope you can join us in all the excitement of the show.

Tracy
xxx


Friday 13 January 2017

One Of A Kind

I created this card just for fun.
I opted for Squeezed Lemonade and Weathered Wood Distress Paints for the background.
A touch of stencilling in the background using one of Tim Holtz mini layering stencils.
I added the sentiment 'one of a kind' again using a Tim Holtz stamp set. I love how all the layers are visible in the design.
A few delicate splatters of white paint to lift the design.
A few scratchy paint marks using an old credit/store card and a touch of Distress Crayon around the edges and the design is complete.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Friday 6 January 2017

Going Round In Circles

Welcome to our first challenge of the year for A Vintage Journey, our theme for January is "Going Round In Circles".

Whether large or small, 2d or 3d, clock face embellishments, buttons, eyelets or created with paint pot lids, stamped, stencilled, doodled or finger painted let’s see what gets you going round in circles. This challenge theme particularly fits with the art journaling style we love to see but can also be incorporated into a vintage; shabby; mixed-media; industrial or steampunk project.

I opted to use Eileen Hull's Sizzix Passport Die for my creative piece. I die cut the pieces and then painted the front, back covers and pages with Raw Umber DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic, dried with a heat tool and then painted each with DecoArt Media Crackle Paint.
My focal piece is a Sandra Evertson Prima Relic Piece which again has Crackle Paint applied and aged with touches of more Raw Umber Fluid Acrylic applied with my finger. I also sanded a few of the edges and then added further layers of paint to darken and age further.
I used a pocket watch wooden piece to add depth to my design and to add the circular element needed for the challenge along with some circles of rusty tin wire, which I adore using.
I sanded the edges of the pocket watch and added further layers of Raw Umber paint. I also added a life pin to the bottom for further interest. The pages were bound together with natural twine.
The back cover of the book has a further Relic Piece which has again been aged with Raw Umber Paint which I applied as a wash. I also added book pages from an old Alice in Wonderland book and added some painty circles added with lids from paint pots.
I adore the text 'Be Brave' and how all the layers are visible. The numbers are Label Letters from Tim Holtz and I have also included some Remnant Rubs for further interest.
I added further layers of paint to the edges to add to the worn aged feel.
The crackle really makes this such a tactile piece.
Continuing with the circle theme inside my book.
I applied Raw Umber paint to the edges of a lid using my finger and then pressed the lid onto each of the pages and then dried with my  heat tool.
To add shading to each of the circles I applied DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Titan Buff to the inside of the circle, applying with my finger and whilst the paint was still wet I then added touches of Raw Umber, blending both paints with my finger.
To add further definition to the edges I also applied Walnut Stain Distress Crayon to the edges of each circle and then smudged with my finger.
Each of the circles had numbers added using one of the mini Layering Stencils from Tim Holtz, applying Raw Umber paint over the stencil with a piece of Cut 'n' Dry Foam. I also added delicate splatters of Titanium White Paint to each of the pages to add highlights.
Our sponsor this month is The Funkie Junkie Boutique who are offering $25 to our randomly drawn winner. Good Luck.

Thanks so much for stopping by and all the very best for 2017. Tracy x x 





Tuesday 3 January 2017

Eileen Hull Monthly Challenge - Cards

Happy New Year. Welcome to my monthly post for Eileen Hull. This month the DT are focusing on cards and techniques.
 I decided on a masculine card this time around with a mixed media feel and I really enjoyed making my first card of the new year.
Cut a piece of white card to your chosen size and then paint with a light coat of Gesso. I like to add Gesso as this makes blending so much easier.
Use any old paint lids or containers and then apply Twisted Citron Distress Paint to the edges of the lid using a finger and press the lid onto the card.
Repeat this process until you are happy with the composition. I used two sized lids for my design.
Colour each of the circles with one layer of paint in this case Twisted Citron, I applied the paint with a finger.
I added a second colour, Peacock Feathers Distress Paint and blended each of the colours together with my finger. Adding the darker shade to the edges of the circles.
Continue with this process, blending as you move along until all the circles are shaded.
Apply Twisted Citron Distress Ink to a non-stick craft sheet, spritz with water and then pick up with a paintbrush and apply the ink around the edges of the circles.
This gives a tone on tone shading to the outside edges of the circles.
Continue adding layers of the colour around the edges, adding more colour the closer you are to the circles. and then dry with a heat tool.
To add a touch more shading and depth to the circles I applied Peacock Feathers Distress Crayon around the edges.
 Smudge the Distress Crayon with a finger to blend.
I also added a touch of Black Distress Crayon here and there for further definition and shading. Continue this process until you are happy with the finished look.
Add delictate splatters of white paint to the background for added interrest and highlights.
I then started to think about a focal image and used  Eileen Hull's Luggage Tag Die as a starting point.
I die cut the pieces from the Luggage Tag from white card and used the piece on the left for this project.
I stamped the die cut piece with Tim Holtz Gent from the Evolution Stamp Set using Black Archival Ink. I coloured the background with Twisted Citron Distress Ink. I also applied Black Soot Distress Crayon around the edges and smudged with a finger. At this stage I also added a touch more Black Distress Crayon around the edges of my circles and a touch more Peacock Feathers Distress Paint to the inside edges of the circles for further shading.
I then die cut three banners from white card using Eileen Hull's Banners and Pennants Die.
I applied Twisted Citron Distress Ink to a non-stick craft sheet, spritzed with water and then mopped up the beads of ink with the die cut piece.
I coloured each of the pennants with the ink and then dried with a heat tool and applied Black Soot Distress Crayon around the edges.
I love the shading on the circles they seem to pop from the background and the white highlights really lift the design. I was quite pleased with the way this one turned out.
A few more delicate splatters of paint over the focal image and I also tucked the die cut pieces behind the focal image for further interest.
A few of Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs add further interest to the background and the black is a great contrast to the citrus colours.
I love how all the layers are visible and the colours really appeal to me.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x