A bit of a make over

It was recycle bin day today, and I though I really ought to sort through the pile of magazines that were accumulating on a table in the lounge as well as in two magazine holders.  

Well I had a good clear out and then decided that the magazine holders could do with a little make-over.   They were originally white with black flowers on them...............

........ so it was out with the black Pebeo gesso, and a quick coat.  (the insides were already black). When that was dry I got out the faithful£1 pack of  kitchen scourers and cut one up into little squares; and my Daley Rowney System 3 metallic paints  (confess for a metallic finish I really love these - I had nearly run out, but our little art shop was closing down recently - need I say more!)   I used, red, blue, green, silver, bronze and light gold and just "sponged" the paint all over randomly with the scourer side.    I do like the effect you get and it is one of the simplest things to do.

When they are completely dry tomorrow I will give them a quick coat of Crafters Companion spray and shine.  (I could have done it tonight, but I like to do it outside - and it was trying to snow!)

It was one of those days!

 This experiment started off so well - and then I mucked it up!

I prepared the canvas last night, and originally the background was green acrylic mixed with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste. which I sponged on..  I used Leonie's "Create" mask.   I then outlined the word with Pebeo transparent Cerne Relief, and left it to dry overnight.

This morning I started to add the Pebeo Vitail and Fantasy paints into the outline of the word.   So far so good - and then catastrophe - got up to answer the door and managed to catch my sleeve in the wet paint - heck it went everywhere!   The e, a & t were completely smudged and leaking over the green background.

When I had calmed down and finished calling myself every kind of fool, including rescuing the edge of my sleeve, I set about trying to repair the damage.   I wiped off the excess, over-painted the green again and then redid the vitrail and fantasy paints to best of my ability.

I wasn't happy with it.   I left the wording to "crust" off a bit, and then got a lighter cream colour paint and repainted the background - a tad tricky - couldn't sponge it on as before, so had to use various size paintbrushes to get in around the word.

I still wasn't completely happy, so over-painted the background with Maimeri Iridescent Paste, which brought the background to life (I had intended to use this on the green originally).   Finally I finished the background with a second coat, this time Maimeri Glassy Gel.

I have decided to leave it like this for the time being.  I may add some embelishments later, but wasn't going to push my luck any further today.

However, I will add that as shown by the demonstrator on HOCHANDA, I did spread the excess paint on a plastic pocket, as she said it remained flexible and you could use the left over paint in punches etc.

Left over paint:
Iridescent paint with glitter in   Glassy Gel with glitter and put through a punch
ordinary accrylic (as an experiment) and acrylic mixed with light modelling paste with  beadazzles and glitter

I love the effect of the Glassy Gel and glitter.  I shall try that again, and also try it mixed with colour. Apparently you can also use the three mediums in moulds - yes that is on my to try list too.

A Bit more playing!

Playing with the Art stencil and masks this time

using the mask.  peeled paint distress ink first, then the stamps, and finally coloured in with metallic promarkers,
 and some faux stitching added with a micron pen

using the stencil. and adding the stamps through stencil.  I found this rather difficult
and had to stick stamps on to fingers to get them to go in the stencil.

Mask was then applied and green acrylic paint applied.   Then I started to add some more stamped images
to the outline, but as you can see I managed to catch the card with the edge of the acrylic block - so this piece
 remains unfinished.  I may try and revive it by reapply the green acrylic paint.  However I have still shared the
"mucked up" piece as it was a trial in effects

Playing with some new goodies

on a black background

I fell in love with Leonie Pujol's new stamps, and masks/stencils, when watching the launch show at the beginning of the week.  After much soul searching, I gave in and bought them.   So pleased I did. They are fab, and the stamps are such a great concept.

This was my first attempt - need to improve, but pleased with the initial result.  No doubt I will get better when I become more familiar with all the stamps.

on a white background

Attempting Something New!

I happened to be watching some catch up programmes on HOCHANDA, and came across one on watercolour painting.  Well I will own up that I am useless at painting, and although I have water-colour paints for colouring in stamped images, I had never attempted a "painting" - well not since my school days, when I think my teacher gave up on me!

 I had some watercolour postcards in my stash, with a view to making some toppers with them, and they were the right weight so I decided to paint along with the programme.

So far so good, I also found some suitable paint brushes in my stash.   I didn't have the watercolours that they were using, but I did have some Lyra aquacolour crayons, and some Aquamarkers.

So here is my first attempt, painting along with the programme.

Landscape

I then decided to find some videos on U-tube by the same man - Matthew Palmer  (do look them up), and I attempted a second painting - a snow scene - not quite so successful, although it does look better in real life.

Snow scene

Thanks for popping by.

Roses

After a week of catastrophes - a flooded kitchen and flooded carpets (don't go there!) and the ensuing clear up and drying out, together with some much needed catch up on some gardening, I found time today to catch up with a project I started a couple of weeks ago.

For ages I had meant to replace the roses in a rather pretty vase I have bought at the glass factory on the Isle of Wight some years ago.   The roses were made with Hearty Soft clay in white and then airbrushed.  The leaves and calyx had a little green cake decorating colour added to the clay, and then they too were airbrushed.  I didn't use any cutters for the rose -  the petals were just modeled by hand. However, I used a cutter for the calyx and for the leaves

Really pleased with the results.   

I made the original yellow roses from cold porcelain probably back in the early 90s when I went on a course with my father.   I never really liked the yellow roses, so am pleased that I have last given the "vase" a make-over.

before - the old roses

Card for a Dog Lover

Well the title says it all doesn't it.

Cupcake card

Just a simple topper birthday card  for my niece..   I used the same background as the card I shared yesterday for my granddaughter, mainly because I love the background.  Also their birthdays are the same day - so I liked to "link" the two of them.

Mounted on a plain white square card.   This seems to be my trend these days.  I am definitely going through a square card phase.

Gymnast Card

Yesterday I showed you the cake, today it is the turn of the birthday card - well at least the topper for it.    My granddaughter does gymnastics, so thought I would attempt to make a card to reflect this.

The original colour of the leotard was red, but using the cut-out studio on CAP.  I duplicated the image, and cut it out to just reveal the coloured part.  Changed the colour and the superimposed it over the original red!

the topper on the completed card

Princess Cake

A princess cake for one of my granddaughter's 7th Birthday tomorrow..  It is years since I used the bell shaped cake tin.    Probably since my daughter was a child!

I had the doll head pick in my cake stash and thought it was time to use it.

close up of one side of cake with wafer butterfly

I textured the paste with an embossing flower design

close up of other side of cake showing the cape, which was embossed using a silk effect rolling pin

close up of bodice detail and tiara

When I was making the tiara it was evening, and I thought the beads were blue!    As it happened I didn't have any blue beads of the right size - but I am sure the recipient won't mind - out of sunlight they look turquoise anyway!  (as you can see from the picture taken indoors just after I made the tiara!)

I have to say the photos really don't do the cake justice - it looks so much better in real life.