I had my youngest granddaughter (6) to stay overnight the other day, and having seen my new moulds she wanted to play!

She wanted to make a fairy door (and wanted it to be partially open so she could put notes behind the door (no pressure then!).     This was all her own work (with a little help from me in cutting the shape of the door).   Using Hearty Soft Air dry clay, she put bark effect on the circular mdf plaque and painted it with various shades of brown and cream acrylics, and I taught her how to dry brush. She then painted the door which was created using the dragons skin mould, using Amethyst Starlight paint and dry brushed with gold - she got the hang of dry brushing very quickly.  She then made some hinges from another Katy Sue mould and created a door knob - these had Pebeo gilding wax applied, and she soon learned the technique of applying the wax with her ring finger.

We couldn't find my Katy Sue moulds for the leaves, so we found some cutters for to create the rose and ivy leaves, which she dusted with cake decorating dusts.

Finally she discovered y stash of feathers and created a flower with them and a piece of clay, painting the centre yellow and adding a crystal gem to the middle as well a adding a gem to the door for a "peep hole".

We had a little trouble adding string to the plaque, so we compromised and she chose some matching embroidery thread for the hanger.

I know I am biased, but I think this was excellent.    She was thrilled with it, and she is certainly a quick learner and a promising little crafter - she knows what she wants and as an "artistic eye".

Dragon's Eye

I had to play with the new Katy Sue Fantasy design moulds.    I just love the dragon's eye, dragon's skin and claw moulds.   I also used the belt and buckle moulds, and elements from the hinges mould.

I used an MDF cheese board blank for the background, which I painted with black gesso and then my favourite Pebeo Blue/black paint.  All the elements were created using Hearty Air Dry clay.

The dragon's skin, eye and claws were painted with Starlight paints.  The belt and buckle elements were painted with Amsterdam and Pebeo acrylics and then a touch of Pebeo gilding wax was applied.   The little screw heads were painted with gold Starlight paints and then gilding wax applied.

The leaves were painted with a mixture of Amsterdam, Pebeo and Starlight paints and then a few bits of IndigoBlu copper kettle mega flakes adhered to them and a smidgen of gilding wax again.

Finally a strip of card was stamped with the word Imagination and a touch of gilding wax applied around the edge, and gilding wax applied to the edge of the board, and the whole thing sprayed with Spray and Shine to seal it.

Another storage unit

Another of the shelf/storage trays today.   I covered this one with tissue applied with heavy duty gel. I then painted it with gesso mixed with a pink IndigoBlu paint.  I then dry brushed IndigoBlu Fuchsia overt the inside whole thing,  as well as some crimson starlight paint over the outside.

I stamped various sentiments over the box in black Nuvo Ink.  The top edge was painted with the Fuchsia too.  Finally a little Starlight pearl was added with a finger to create some lighter areas around the outside.

Owl Plaque

Picture taken with a flash to show the shine of the bacground

I had great fun building and painting this  plaque from Olifantjie.    The back had black gesso applied, and then was painted with my favourite Pebeo Blue/Black DYNA paint, and oversprayed with Montan effect in white.

The owl, branch and flowers were painted with various Amsterdam paints and for the claws I mixed some Cosmic Shimmer Fluffy Stuff with yellow acrylic to create texture on the claws.    The yes were painted with a mixture of Pebeo Vitrail and Fantasy paints to give that glassy-eyed look.  The centre of the flowers had some Nuvo drops added.     The rim was sponged with a mixture of Jade, Aqua and Clotted Cream Starlights paint.  Finally a coat of spray and shine was applied.

Another view:

Photo taken without flash which shows the marble effect spray

Robbie Robot

At least he can kneel!

Well I have finished painting the robot, albeit things didn't quite go to plan.  I got interrupted when painting him, and although I had freed up all his joints as I went - I seemed to have overlooked his hip joints.    When I went to pose him and take his photo I managed to break his hip joints.

I tried to remove his hip pin, but it was beyond repair, and knowing how difficult it was to assemble his legs, I abandoned the idea, and just took the hacksaw to the spindle and stuck his hips on.   As you can see  he can kneel, (and he can stand up straight - he just can't sit any more!)

A picture of what he looked like standing before I had finished painting him

a posed picture of him sitting before  I operated on his hips
(they aren't actually attached in this photo!)

Such a shame I messed it up.  I was a tad disappointed as he had been clear gessoed before painting to prevent paint leaking into his joints (and they all moved at this stage).     Hey ho worse things happen at sea as they say - and I did manage to remedy the situation, although not as perfectly as I would have liked.

For info he was painted with Indigoblu translucent paints (I wanted some of the detail on the MDF to show through, particularly on his body).  I then overpainted with Starlights paints - sort of dry brushing the colour on, and then added some Pebeo gilding wax on the elements that appear metallic.
His eyes were painted with Pebeo Ceramic and Fantasy paints.  (Really pleased with the effect).

Dead of the Dead Mask

I attempted to paint a Day of the Dead Mask.  Hopefully it isn't too bad, bearing in mind that I can't draw for toffee, and currently can't see where a pen meets paper (or in this case mdf),  and this was done freehand using some inspiration from the internet.  I used Posca pens, Starlight paints and Indigo blue paint.   I also added a little "grey" shading with distress oxides.  The teeth were overpainted with phosphorescent gel.    Finally a thin coat of multipurpose gel medium was sponged on and a little diamond frost sprinkled over the surface whilst wet.

Reverse side

The other side in case you missed it yesterday - and I have actually done a bit more to it since then - though you probably can't see that! - I gave it a thin coat of multipurpose gel medium again with a little of the sparkle added and then over-painted all the white parts with phosphorescent gel medium.

Hopefully when "charged" the paint should glow nicely in the dark.   I may be scaring the trick and treaters this year!

Art Journalling

I am always intending to try some art journaling, but never seem to get around to it.   Well I rectified that today.   MY no2 granddaughter was with me for the day, and as she was busy playing on her x-box, I thought I would try out the new Peerless Designs "face" stencils that arrived in the post.  (I bought them because a) I am useless at drawing faces b) thought they might encourage me to play in my art journal and c) I thought the grandchildren might like using them.).

As it was raining, and I couldn't work outside or up in the Den, I thought I would stick to watercolour painting in the first instance - rather than acrylics, as slightly less messy as I was working on the dining table to keep my granddaughter company.  I also used some luscious powders, a sprinkle of brushos, some Izink ink pads, and a smidgen of starlight paint for the straight lines.   I also used some other stencils from my stash.

The picture on the right will be work in progress when I inspiration strikes me as to what I want to add.  Of course this is the great thing about art journals you can go back to them as and when you want and add more bits.

My granddaughter took a break from her video game and came to see what I was doing.  "Can I have a go please", she asked.  So here is her journal page.    (We were both working in the same journal, so I stopped working on my page for a bit.    I then did some later, and she also then did some more to hers.   She wanted to create an abstract look for hers - so it is quite different from mine.   She has fun with the luscious powders!

I confess I haven't quite got into the "grunge" look of creating pages - I will try though.  Confess I would never have thought of starting with a blue/grey face!

Whilst she was putting the finishing touches to her painting, I was trying to encourage her and tell her about the "Rule of Three" or at least odd numbers, and demonstrated on a little tag I had handy.  Here it is.

We certainly had a fun day - and I am getting ideas of what she might like for Christmas .... could get expensive!   I will keep my eye out for bargains on journals and ink pads etc.

Viking Longship - work i progress

I fell in love with a papiermaché longship whilst in Hobbycraft last week with my granddaughter.

I wanted it to be waterproof, so I applied bronze Powertex to the hull and ivory Powertex to the sail/  It didn't take long to dry in this weather.  It was so hot yesterday afternoon that I really didn't have the mojo to start on the painting, but suddenly decided to have a bash at it so to speak when it got cooler

I was a bit concerned on how I would achieve the wood effect over the Powertex, and just started by dry brushing various shades of brown along the contour.  I then took a fine paint brush and painted the darker lines, and then went back in between the lines with the varying shades of brown.   I am quite pleased with the result.

The sale was painted with a pinky-cream and then I applied masking tape and painted the stripe down the centre.

The prow and stern were painted and then gold gilding wax applied, and various starlight coloured paints were stippled on to the "shields". 

Still a bit more to do to it - I shall add some centres to the shields with Nvo drops and then perhaps add some gilding wax or paint the drops.

I am also tempted to paint some sort of emblem on the sail.    I think it needs something like and eagle in flight.   I don't have a stamp like that, but I do have an eagle's head stamp ......... (and I might have an angel wings stamp in my stash - I forget)   .... so watch this space as they say.

Painted fir cones

 Wishing all my followers a very Happy Christmas, and hope that 2018 brings you much happiness.

My daughter dropped by with some fircones she had been given the other day, as she thought I might like to do something with them.    Too right!

I painted them with various Starlight paints, and added a little glitter to a couple.  I then remembered that I had a can of Christmas snow - so I sprayed them all with that.

I had just the place for them ..... I had bought a little Christmas tree a couple of weeks ago for the tub on my porch - the cones were the perfect compliment.

Glass Coasters

Hi there followers.  I have been very bad and not done any blogging for a while.   I have been crafting, but have just forgotten to take photos. 

However, I did remember to take some photos of these coasters that I made the other week.   I bought the coasters back in the summer and have at last got around to doing something with them.  Originally it was going to be something with etching and painting, but I changed my mind and made these.

I used an Imagination Crafts stencil for the words using Stazon.  I then applied some pattern rice paper, which I had torn into random shapes.   Finally I used Imagination Crafts Starlight paints in a gold and turquoise colour and sponged it all over.   When it was dry I applied acrylic glaze and the little feet that came with the coasters.    Everything was done working on the back of the coasters.

I think I need some more "word" stencils - as it if I attempted to do this again with stamps - it wouldn't work and I would have to stamp the word on the "front" side.

I didn't know who would get these - but my son rather liked them - so he got them!