Old Fashioned Grammophone

Work in progress.   I haven't attached the final panels yet, as I want to paint the main thing first, and also paint the panels separately, but hopefully you can get the gist.   It isn't as big a it looks in the photos!   It stands about 18 inches high.

The "needle" arm is movable too

Can't wait to start painting it!

Black & White Box

I have at last painted this box which has been sitting on my desk for a few months!   Originally I wanted it to be blue to look like Wedgewood, but I couldn't find any suitable card in my stash, and as I needed to stamp and emboss, painting the MDF wouldn't really work.   So ..... I decided to paint it to match the little one I painted a while ago.

Basically the box was painted with black gesso, and then strips of black card were cut, and a pattern stamped (John Next Door stamp) with clear embossing powder, and then Cosmic shimmer white detail embossing powder applied.   The strips where then stuck onto the panels of the box.  The handle was painted white and finally the whole thing sprayed with Spray and Shine.

"Hat-shaped" Box

I have been meaning to tackle this for a while, but couldn't decide exactly how I wanted to decorate it.  I decided to go with a faux leather effect  (Kraft card treated with glycerine and water and screwed up, and when dry I applied distress inks and distress oxides).    The faux leather was cut up into small pieces and applied to the box with heavy duty gel both under and over it.    When this was dry I highlighted all the "seams" with gold Nuvo drops.

I then applied random bits of screwed up tissue to the base with watered-down pva, to create a different "leather" effect.  This was then painted with various shades of oxides, and distress inks and acrylic paint.

I then created a buckled hat band from Hearty clay and a Katy sue mould, which I then painted in various shades of brown and highlighted the buckle with gilding wax (but decided it didn't show up enough so made it more 3D with more gold Nuvo drops.

I painted a selection of MDF cogs and a "star" embellishment with Pentart Rusty Effect and Patina paints.

Finally the whole thing was sprayed with Spray and Shine.

The faux leather effect

How it started off

Anyone For Coffee?

 Card created with Gummiapan dies, and Clarity die for the sentiment.  Simple but effective, using brown pearlised cardstock, and a colouring the heart with pencil.

Messing about in a Journal

I received some new stamps - and naturally I just had to play.   Journalling is still a little struggle for me - but I have found it useful for trying out techniques

The background was done with distress oxides applied with an old dried out wet wipe.  I then randomly stamped with the IndigoBlu "Golden Ratio" stamp.  I then stamped the owl from Katy Sue Designs, and coloured this with Posca pens and water.    It is sort of work in progress, as being a journal page, I can add to it as the mood takes me.

I also did the same background on this page, but used the Katy Sue Unicorn stamp this time,  It hasn't turned out quite as I wanted, the main stamped image wasn't perfect, so painting it with the acrylics wasn't so easy.   You win some you lose some - but again as it was a journal page - I can go back into it and add some more - you never know I may get to share it again when more has been added.

I have realised that I need to add some shadow/shading to make the images "pop".   That;s the advantage of just playing and taking a photo - you can see more easily what you need to do.

Unicorns rule

I love this mould from Katy Sue, which was created using Hearty Soft Air Dry clay.  I mounted it on some green/brown pearlescent card from my stash.   I was tempted to leave it just as a Cameo, but as it was for one of my granddaughters who loves Unicorns, I thought I had better add her name to the front of the card.  I used some Crafters Companion dies for this.

The insert also had a picture of a Unicorn on it with a sentiment that said "Always believe in Unicorns"

Floral Birthday Card

I have been busy the last week or so making the most of the fine weather to get the garden straight, so crafting has been on the back burner.   However a couple of birthday cards have been made recently, albeit I forgot to take a photo of one of them!

This card was made using The Clarity Club die for March on faux pour paper from Joanna Sheen.

I then painted the flowers using Pergamano pencils and water.  Finishing off with a dotty outline around the edge with a fine liner pen.

Decoupage Glass Dish

I have been meaning to try this technique for a while.  I bought a selection of glass dishes from DaliART when they had  sale on before Christmas.

I used an Imagination Crafts stencil and used Black Starlight paint through it onto patterned rice paper.  I attached this to the back of the plate with IndigoBlu Slap It On.   When dry I sponged over the whole thing with cream and blue Imagination Crafts Starlight paints, with a final layer of the blue.

Bee Plaque

I painted this little ring plaque from Samantha K crafts  The solid ring was painted with Pentart Patina effect paints, and the cut out ring with Starlight paints.  (I had originally painted with normal acrylics, but didn't like it - so gave it a bit of sparkle.

I also felt it needed a back - so I got some grey board and painted it with a light blue acrylic and then spattered some other colours at it to give a speckled finish.   I felt it needed something in the middle, so for the moment I have just placed a little wooden heart in the centre, which I will eventually paint (possibly with Fantasy paints) or stamp an image or write a name on it.      Decision to be made at a later date.    I will also add some matching ribbon as a hanger.

Art Folder again (Outside)

The Back

 I am really pleased with how this turned out as an experiment.  I used one of Leonie Pujol's latest stencils for Clarity Stamps.

I used a finger dauber and acrylic paint.   The face was done with IndigoBlu fair, and the rest was done with the American acrylics in a random fashion (as they were still out on my desk).  I also used a bit of IndigoBlu Olive Waistcoat green paint. I then added a few extra "squiggles£ with black and white paint and outlined the hearts etc to make them stand out.  I also painted in the eyes and lips with a brush.

Having done the Folk Art inside and this stencilled back, I decided I didn't like the black and white front that I had done - so added a little extra colour to that.  (I think I have shared this already - so to recap it was stamped and embossed with white embossing powder.

The Front