Monday 29 September 2014

Tag Trio with Paperartsy Stamps

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to share a trio of tags I created after seeing a project on the Paperartsy blog by Anneke De Clerck

I started with three plain tags and randomly brushed on three colours of Fresco paint: Mermaid, Candy Floss and Haystack.

I then did some background stamping using the same colours of paint and two Eclectica Darcy stamps sets.

I stamped the main images also from Eclectica Darcy sets 9 and 10 using black versafine ink onto each of the tags.

I gave the images an undercoat of Chalk Fresco paint before adding colour using a mixture of Limelight, Zesty Zing, Smoked Paprika and Bora Bora.

I added grunge paste through the Paperartsy Lin Brown bubble stencil then once dry painted it with Ice Blue Fresco and highlighted the bubbles with a white posca pen.

Here is a closer view of each tag:

To finish of the tags I edged them with Slate Fresco and added shading around some of the stamping using a grey spectrum noir pencil.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Claire xx

 

Sunday 28 September 2014

Journal Tree

Hello Everyone,

So on the Paperartsy blog over the past few months Darcy has been sharing journal pages so people can try out different techniques. As I've been working away from home I haven't had a chance to take part until now.

Unfortunately this is her last page demo for now but my twitter friend Helen encouraged me to join in anyway.

So here is my tree journal page:

And some close ups:

I started by giving my pages a coat of chalk fresco paint then added the background colours using watersoluble crayons and blended with a damp paint brush.

I created a mask from torn paper and went around the edges of the pages with Eggplant and Spanish Mulberry to create a border. I then used the bricks stamp from Eclectica Darcy 10 and stamped the bricks in using black versafine.

Then I drew in my tree shape and painted it using a combination of Toffee and French Roast frescos.

When it came to adding the leaves I realised I didn't have any suitable leafy stamps! So I scrunched some paper and randomly added various shades of green paint to my branches. I think the greens I used were Hyde Park, Tinned Peas, Green Olives and Hey Pesto.

I painted some card with Tinned Peas and stamped the leaf with versafine black ink from the same set as the bricks. Then cut them out and added them to my tree.

I haven't written on the backs of my leaves yet as I haven't quite decided what I'd like to use my tree for but I will come back to my pages and annotate them when I'm ready.

I've really enjoyed the process of creating my pages and I hope Darcy will be resuming the series some time in the future.

 

Thanks for stopping by today,

Claire xx

 

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Creative Blog Hop

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my blog today - I have been nominated by my lovely twitter friend, mass of hair, to participate in this creative blog hop that is doing the rounds at the moment!

Mass of Hair has a lovely blog where she regularly posts wonderful projects - if you want to learn a bit more about her pop over *HERE* to see her creative blog hop post :)

So here goes my five questions:

1) Something about myself
Well I am 31 years old and have been married for 2 1/2 years to Richard.  We moved very recently into our new home together which is near Darlington - aka up north!  We both work full time and have two cats which are like my babies :)
I went to university in Huddersfield and now work for a large pharmaceutical company in a laboratory that performs testing on tablets.  This year I will have been working there for 10 years!
Richard is pretty active and loves playing lots of sports - so when he's off doing that I spend my time creating!  I started crafting about four years ago when I met a lovely lady called Margaret at a local fair.  She was handing out leaflets about a crop group she ran - I went along and that was that, I loved it!  The scrapbooking rapidly moved into card making and that is what my main craftiness revolves around.  People love to receive handmade cards and so I think it is such a great hobby and a way to show someone you really care.  Most of my makes involve stamping, inks, paints and any other general mess that can be made!

2)What are you working on at the moment?
Recently I decided to take up art journaling as it is something I see a lot of other people do and they make it look so easy!!  Well after a few attempts it really isn't as easy at it first appears....but currently I am working on a journal page to join in Darcy's journal challenge on the Paperartsy blog.

3)Why do you create what you do?
The main reason I create is simply because I enjoy it!  I just love taking myself of to my room (yes - I have a room now since we moved house!) and just sitting peacefully and creating anything.....most of the time it doesn't matter what I'm making I just enjoy the process.

4)How does your creative process work?
Lol! I definatley do not have a creative process at all!! I sit at my desk and look at what I have around me or in my cupboard and then will just make something!  Really no forward planning involved! Sometimes I will see some challenges out there in blogland that I want to join in with so that helps me decide what I'm doing too.

5)How do you stay focused/motivated?
I'm not really very patient when I'm creating - I want to see the finished project all done and completed the same day.  So to stay focused I usually don't do long drawn out projects that go on for days.....everything I make is done in a few hours at the most.

I would like to nominate my lovely Splodgeaway design teamie Kay Foreman to carry on the creative blog hop baton!

Kay is a wonderful lady and we have met in person several times at various classes around our area so please do pop over and visit her  *HERE*

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, I hope I haven't bored you too much!!!

Claire xx

Sunday 21 September 2014

Amazing Finnabair Workshop

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for visiting my blog today. I have a very special project to share today.....last weekend I attended Finnabair's Harsh and Soft workshop and it was amazing! Finn is so talented and she is also very friendly and funny too.
The workshop was ran and organised by the wonderful Sue Tucker and was held on Wynyard Business Park.
So here is my workshop make:
We were told to bring a photo of ourselves - not something I would usually chose to put on my projects!! This is me at my wedding reception in 2012.
Here are a couple of close ups:

I want to mount it onto something a bit sturdier and hang it on the wall in my craft room I think.
Overall it was a lovely day and I hope to do another Finn class next year :-)
Thanks for looking today,
Claire xx

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Faces six and seven

To catch me up a little with the 29 faces challenge today I have two faces to share:

Pencil sketch of a boy and girl - this is my first boy face ever....think he still has a little bit of a femminne touch to him but never mind.....it's all good practice!

Thanks for looking,

Claire x

 

Monday 15 September 2014

Face Five

Hi Everyone,

Today I'm continuing the 29 faces September challenge with my fifth face.

Here she is:

Simple pencil sketch then decided to add just a bit of colour to her lips and eyes with spectrum noir pencils.

Thanks for visiting today,

Claire x

 

 

Sunday 14 September 2014

Fourth Face

Well I'm running very behind on the 29 faces challenge but am going to do as many as I can!

Here is face number four.....

I think she is my favourite face so far. She was drawn with pencil and coloured using spectrum noir pencils - I haven't used these new pencils much yet but from the little I have used them I have to say I really do like them!

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Claire x

 

Sunday 7 September 2014

Face number three

Here is my third face for 29 faces - more info about this challenge can be found HERE

 

Pencil sketch coloured using a mixture of the neocolour II watersoluble crayons and reeves water soluble crayons.

Thanks for looking today,

Claire x

 

Friday 5 September 2014

Second Face for September

Hello

Here is my second face for 29 Faces for September.

I tried a pencil sketch today:

 

Thanks for looking,

Claire x

 

Thursday 4 September 2014

29 Faces for September

Hello

So I have been introduced to a new blog via Clare Lloyd called 29 Faces - basically throughout the month of September you have to aim to draw 29 faces.

I'm a bit behind already as it's the 4th Sept today but better late than never!

I really admire people who can draw faces and I believe practice can improve technique so I think this challenge is the ideal opportunity to improve my drawing skills.

So here is face number one (hopefully there will be plenty more to follow - not sure I'll manage another 28 tho!):

So here she is in my brand new sketchbook. I've drawn her in pencil and used water soluble crayons to colour her in.

Thanks for calling in,

Claire x

29 faces

 

Bright and Beautiful!

Hi Everyone,

After seeing Hels lovely bright Sunday Stamper blog post this week I decided to create this very bright and colourful tag:

 

I created it using dylusions inks, there is some faint water bleaching using a Lin Brown Paperartsy stencil. The bird and quote is a Dina Wakley stamp also coloured using the dylusions inks blended with a water brush.

I added some outlining and scribbling with a white posca pen and then some faux stitching around the edge in black pen.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Claire x