Anniversary Card

An anniversary card for my niece.   The image is a rose from my garden that I took the other day, it was so pretty with the raindrops on it - I just wanted to used it on a card.

The image was imported into Craft Artist, a border put round the photo as a faux mount and then an edging and the sentiment added.

When printed I lightly brushed colour from a peach coloured ink pad around the edges, blending it in toward the main image.

Doodle Birthday Card

Today's card was created from one of my doodles that I did.   I scanned my doodle, imported into Craft Artist and created a frame for it.   When it was printed I water coloured it.

Clarity have created some stamps to recreate the design, but although I ordered them, they haven't arrived in time for me to use them for the card.   If they had I would have stamped the designs, perhaps with a different frame on watercolour paper and then painted it.  I had to make do with copy paper, but I played it safe and kept the colouring fairly light!

Birthday card for a friend

Today's card is a quick cheerful one for a friend.     The background was created using red, blue and yellow artistry ink pads and the stamps by Julie Hickey were stamped and embossed.

Birthday Card

This card uses a stamp created by Clarity Stamp from our doodling in the SHAC Shack sessions.  (As you will know if you follow the blog, I drew my own version of this at the time).  It is nice though to have a stamp to fall back on if you don't have the time to draw it yourself.    The stamp comes in a large and small format - I have used the smaller format and I water coloured it.   (In hindsight I probably would have embossed the image first).

As the card was for a train enthusiast - I created the sentiment in Craft Artist to make it look like a train name plate.

Doodling with stencils

Inspired by a demo I saw on Facebook - I played in one of my art journals with somem mandala stencils.    The idea was to draw some random shapes and turn them into flowers.   I decided to use the stencils and parts of the stencils.   Yes a bit random even for me - but it was a bit of fun.

I have also realised that it has been a week since I posted something on the blog - life overtakes you sometimes, but I have some bits in the pipeline to share, and yesterday I mad 5 cards - so there will be posts for the next few days!

Seahorse Plaque

Following on from the seahorses I shared the other day.   I created a plaque to showcase them.   The MDF oval was painted with Kielty porous surface converter to seal it, and then brushed with various shades of mica powder with a little Kielty blending solution added.  A little more of the converter medium was added and the stones applied.  The rim was painted with gesso and glued to the back oval.

Clear resin was then applied ....... however, I had a little problem - the seal between the rim and the back oval was not perfect, and most of the resin ran out!     I added some structure paste to the gap around the outside and then prayed that the original resin coating would create a seal - Phew it did!

I then poured another layer of resin and added some more stones etc, which has created a 3D effect.

Doodling and Colouring

After a week's break in the SHAC shack, it is back to colouring an doodling again.   Last week it was colouring the postcards again.    This was my attempt.  I couldn't manage some of the techniques Barbara demonstrated, which was to leave parts of the owls white - my eyesight just couldn't cope as I struggle with precision on very small details - so there are a few more random brown flecks instead!

By the time you read this we will be back to doodling again - I wonder what country we will be visiting next?

Birch wood shapes and resin

I painted these shapes with Kelty alcohol inks and then applied resin.    The seahorses will go on a plaque in due course.

 I as a bit disappointed with the dragonfly, as the shades of blue and green of the alcohol inks didn't really show up when I poured the clear resin over them, so I had a smidgen of blue and green mica to the resin and pouted the wings again ....... only it not only did it overrun into his body, but obliterated the original shading.    I have an idea of what I want to do to rectify this - so if it works you will see him again!

Autumn Man

I had such fun with this experiment - an Autumn Man.   I dusted the mould with Forest Green for his face, and light green and silver for his beard, and then the leaves were dusted with gold, bronze, copper and coffee micas.   I wasn't sure what colour resin to pour him, but ended up with a mix of coffee and greens.   Which was the right choice!   He really turned out well.

It was difficult to capture his colours in a photo - so I took a few - in sunlight and shade.

Experimenting with a stencil

 

I feel in love with this eye stencil (well this is only part of it) the other day when it was being demonstrated by Jo Channon on Hochanda.    So inspired by Jo's demo I decided to have a play.

Jo used black stencil paste, but I didn't have any so I created my own using Cosmic Shimmer Gold Pearl Texture Paste and black gesso,

When it was dry, I then played with some new coloured pencils I bought for my colouring/doodling sessions, which I will be backed to next week, and then did a bit of doodling over the top.

Yes I know the word isn't quite straight - thought it was ok until I looked at the photo!   lol!

A bit more resin work

 At the risk of being boring ......

...... my original Green Man now has a hanger on him and is in pride of place on the wall of my house between my porch and lounge window.   I must admit he looks fab, particularly as the render is a pale green, so his dark green really stands out.

I had a little resn leftover when I added the hook to the green man, so I quickly dusted a mould with blue and gold and poured another dragonfly with the remaining green resin.

Before he was completely set, I shaped his wings, and when set I put him on my hanging basket ... he might even end up dangling from the trellis.

3rd Green Man

I poured another green man for a friend this week,   Having found my darker green mica, I was able to add a bit more colour to his face,   I also added a little red blush to his face,   I am trying to make them all a bit different.

Here are the three different ones I have made so far:

Not sure what I will attempt next.   I have seen him made in black resin, and also fancy making one with autumn leaves (maybe I will experiment with the small one for that), but I also have some craft concrete powder ..........  decisions, decisions !

Another Resin Green Man

I poured another green man this week.    Really pleased with how he turned out - really shin and glistens in the sun.   I had intended to make his face a bit darker - but couldn't find my darker green pigment at the time.

Because I didn't have a large container to mix the resin ( he does take rather a lot) I had to do two mexes to fill him, by which time I had found my darker green pigment.   I could have done him in two layers, but decided to pour the slightly darker green before the first layer had set - as it started to sink into the first layer, I just stirred the two different colours together in the mould.   Wow loved the effect   The picture below of the back doesn't really do it justice -it looks as though there are lumps in the resin, but no -it is just the different shades.

I have another one to make for a friend - so shall use a similar technique - although I intend to change the colour of his face a little.   I would also like to make one with more autumn colours for his "hair".

I thought I would add a photo comparing the first greenman I did (on the left) with the latest one.   amazing how different they can look with the different colouring.

I love these moulds they are such a pleasure to work with, and the final finish is spectacular.

Resin Owl

 I poured a resin owl a couple of days ago.    The mould isn't really made for resin, but I thought I would experiment.   He was quite difficult to dust, as he is a very dark mould.   It would have been nice if his chest was more plumage rather than a pattern, as he would be great as a barn owl.    I also used some matt pigments in with the metallic ones, so he hasn't turned out as shiny as I had hoped.    That of course maybe the effect of the mould itself.   He has turned out looking more as if he was made from bronze.

Now that I can see the detail better - I will do another one.  He is very shallow - so would make a good fridge magnet if I attached a magnet to him.

I might try him again as well with a grey "pewter" look.

Something a bit different .....

I had a man's card to make this week, and had no idea what I wanted to use for it.   A mixed pack of stamps, stencil and embossing folder jumped out at me.   Not sure where I got it from - might have been from a magazine, or maybe a special offer through Hochanda, as I think it is an Indigoblu make, looking at some of the samps in the collection.  I decided to experiment!

I used the dotty circle stencil with Artistry Inks (a blue, a red and a yellow) through it straight on to the card stock , and then used one of the script stamps over it, using the same colours.

I cut a piece of card and the embossing folder, and then daubed the three colours again over the  raised parts.  I then applied a WOW embossing ink pad across the whole thing and added clear embossing powder, and heated it to give a glossy finish.   I stamped out the light bulb with the clear ink pad and then used the new WOW Blending Powder, heated it up and applied a blue foil to it.   I then coloured it with Artistry Inks and clear embossed the whole thing.

Finally I stamped and embossed the sentiment with Primary Ebony embossing powder and die cut it, and edge it with some of the red artistry ink.

So completely out of my comfort zone with this card, but as it is for a man who likes steampunk, I hope it fits the bill.

Doodling - a Postcard fro Hawaii continued..

Well we stayed longer in Hawaii than originally planned and we finished the drawing, and then spent most of the second week colouring.   Barbara provided us with a template for the Hula girls, which I basically used but did my own tweeks, and turned one the other way around and added a guitar! I am obviously getting a bit of confidence in drawing now, however slight!

and then it was the fun part ...... colouring in pencils  !  Really pleased with this and it was fun!