Winter White for DecoArt

Here's a sneaky peek of my project for the DecoArt Media DT - there's a video tutorial for my mini canvasses over on the Media Blog today.

Enjoy!

Katy x

Steampumpkin!

BOO!

I love Halloween and I am especially fond this chap from Stampendous! The stamp has so many layers that it's great to take apart and layer - I've just used the one stamp for this whole creation. The clock is part of the image.

Here's how I created it:

1 Die cut several pocket watches and cut the centres from all but one. Paint them with bronze coloured paint (you are going to layer them so you can just paint the edges on all but the top and bottom pieces).

2 Cover the top part of the frame with Versamark. Emboss the frame with Aged Copper embossing enamel. While the powder is still molten add a little Seasonings powder here and there and heat again to melt the seasonings into the powder.

3 Add some Spoonful of Rust here and there and heat to set the elements.

4 Sponge the frame lightly with black StazOn to ‘age’ it.

5 Stamp the pumpkin onto copper and silver metal sheet. Cut the large clock out in a circle the same size as the frame from the copper sheet.

6 Colour the stamped image with pencils. Cut some of the elements of the silver metal sheet and add the details to the stamped image.

7 Add some metal embellishments and stickers saying ‘13’.

8 Glue the copper metal piece to the back piece of the frame. Trim off the excess stamped image so it will fit into the chipboard frame – you want to position him so his hat will protrude beyond the edges of the watch frame. Stick just the very bottom most edge of the stamped image to the background but don’t glue his torso or head yet.

9 Layer up the frame pieces and glue them together with the embossed one on top. Add over the pumpkin collage. Add some 3D foam under the pumpkin’s head to lift it and adhere the feathers on his hat to the outside of the frame.

Products used:
Stampendous products:
CRR269 Steam Pumpkin Stampendous Cling Stamp
EJS05 Spoonful Rust
FREG025 Frantage Embossing Enamel – Aged Copper
FREG044 Frantage Chunky Embossing Enamel – Seasonings
MPW811 Mixed Media Paper
WA101 Versamark Watermark Ink Pad

Other:
Sizzix Die – Pocket Watch Frame
Copper paint
StazOn Ink – Jet Black
Copper and silver coloured metal sheet
Derwent Inktense Pencils
Metal embellishments
Number stickers
3D foam tape

Guest Designer at A Vintage Journey

Well I am amongst some prestigious company today! Absolutely delighed that Brenda asked me to be a guest at the A Vintage Journey challenge blog today.

The theme is 'Texture/Embossing Paste' and I've used several different mediums to add texture to my piece. There's an introduction to my project on the AVJ site and here are the full step outs of how I made it.

1) Paint a 6x4" canvas with DecoArt Cobalt Turquoise Hue paint diluted with Tinting Base. Use a scrunched up baby wipe to add patches of neat Cobalt Turquoise Hue, Cerulean Blue and white gesso here and there.

2) Stamp the Rubber Dance girl stamp onto white card (from my very own Take the Plunge set!). Stamp the sun (Tim Holtz) behind in two colours of Archival Ink. Stamp the girl a second time and colour with alcohol markers (mine are Graph It). Stamp the sun again in darker Archival colours. Cut out as shown.

3) Use a stencil (this one is Tando) and matte heavy gel to add some 'water' texture to the canvas towards the bottom.

4) Glue the sun rays and lady in place. Add scraps of cheesecloth to add more texture.

5) Mix embossing paste or modelling paste with paint to tint it - I used Yellow Oxide and Raw Umber DecoArt paints. Use the paste through a stencil (TCW) to make embellishments.

6) Add extra stencilling around the edges (TCW) - you can get texture with a heavy gesso by pouncing it through your stencil with a sponge.

7) Add a 'beach' using Texture Sand Paste from DecoArt. While still wet, add some Art Stones from Prima. When dry, tint with Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide paint.

8) Add a collage of pebbles and shells on the left. Glue the shell embellishment and stamped words to a piece of driftwood and add on the right to finish.

I really enjoyed creating this retro-themed piece, I hope you've enjoyed my adventures with texture today and hope to see you soon.

Katy x

Love the Beach for ColourArte

Today is my final post as a member of the ColourArte DT - it's been an amazing nine months! My last step-by-step tutorial is over on the ColourtArte blog today.

Hope you like :)

Katy x

Heart of Gold for ColourArte

For my DT project today I've created this hanging glass heart decoration with Primary Elements. There's a stepped out tutorial over on the ColourArte blog.

Love from,

Katy x

Happy Accident!

Don't you love happy accidents??? The heart that's the base for this piece was just that! That fab verdigris effect was a total fluke!

I used DecoArt Media Crackle Glaze over this piece that I had treated with Treasure Gold - the Onyxite colour reacted and went green like copper verdigris! I added to the effect around the edges with DecoArt Antiquing Cream.

I had this lurking for a while before I decided to finish it up. I added a heart that I made using my 'shabby crackle' technique (there's a video tutorial for that here) but this time using DecoArt Crackle Paint (rather than paste) for a much finer crackle.

The butterfly is sprayed with a DecoArt Permanent Shimmer Mister in Turquoise and the heart is edged in DecoArt Metallic Lustre in Brilliant Turquoise (this is a seriously lush colour!). I finished with a little key embellishment and am going to add some wire to hang it with.

I love it when something going wrong ends up being right, don't you???

Katy xsmile emoticon

From Junk to Journal

Today I am sharing a journal page made quite literally from rubbish - the sheet of paper from the bottom of my 'spray & splat' box that I use for messy techniques. I thought the paper was just too pretty to throw away so I worked over it to create this art journal page. I am really pleased with how it turned out!

Product details:
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics
Stamps - Donna Downey, Prima/Finnabair
Stencils - The Crafter's Workshop, Tim Holtz
Die - Memory Box

Here's how I created it:

1 This is what the scrap paper from my spray box looked liked before I started work. I glued it to a piece of mixed media paper to make it more sturdy.

2 I added some details with a stencil (TCW) and some Green Gold DecoArt paint.

3 I added further stenciling (Tim Holtz) with white modelling paste.

4 While still wet, I sprinkled the modelling paste with silver embossng powder.

5 Heat set the embossing powder (if the modelling paste is still a bit wet you'll get bubbling like you see here - I think this is cool but if you want it smooth allow the paste to completely dry before heating). Add some more stencil (TCW) detail with black gesso.

6 Stamp the foam bird (Donna Downey) with Cadmium Orange Hue paint (DecoArt).

7 Use Primary Yellow and Pyrole Red through a TCW stencil to add detail to the bird (it doesn't matter if you go over the edges as it's being cut out).

8 At this point I decided the silver embossing was too in your face so I toned it down with a bit of white gesso and Cerulean Blue paint.

9 I added some stamping with Prima stamps and black ink, outlining the circles roughly with silver calligraphy pen (Sakura). I also added washi tape.

10 I added some more details using a pen top and credit card dipped in white paint. I added die cut flowers (Memory Box) too. For the bird I created a shadow with a Stabilo All pencil under where he would be placed before sticking him down. I also outlined the bird with white gel pen and finished the page with a sentiment (Prima).

I think it's a success - which means I am likely to throw away even less stuff!!! My husband will be delighted.............

Katy x

Dragonfly Monolith for Visible Image

For my DT post today I've been playing with the new MDF monoliths from Visible Image again in combination with this lovely new dragonfly stamp.

Here's how I made it:

1 Add a layer of crackle paint (I used DecoArt) to the monolith, in a few places only. When dry, paint over with washes of acrylic paint (I used DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics). When working steps one and two make sure you leave room to stamp the sentiment cleanly.

2 Add some stencilling with modeling paste to give your background additional texture.

3 Add additional stamping in blue and yellow with a bottle lid and some bubble wrap.

4 Stamp the sentiment in black the wording around the edges, also in black,

5 Stamp the dragonfly twice, cut out and colour with paint washes. Stamp the body oneot the background - this is so the legs can show. Layer the cut out images on top.

6 To finish simply embellish with painted flowers and die cut leaves.

Thanks for stopping by today! You can find the Visible Image shop here.

Katy x

Live in the Moment

Imagine Dream Inspire

Distressed Journal

 

Just a quickie post today - a vintage style journal I made. I kept it nice and flat so it's practical to use as I intend to write my notes in it. My fave blue and brown combo is making an appearance again!

Here's how I made it:

1) Collage a background using elements cut from Tim Holtz papers. Cover it with gesso, thinned down so you don't obscure all the detail.

2) Add Distress Inks in Stormy Sky, Broken China, Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain. Add background stamping (PaperArtsy) with Walnut Stain and also Archival Inks in black and Potting Soil,

3) Stamp journal (PaperArtsy) onto a scrap of card and ink it up, Mat with scraps of book page. Stamp the boy (Paperbag Studios) and colour him too. Outline him with Stabilo All pencil and a water brush. Embellish with metal pieces to finish,

That's it for today :). See you soon!

Katy x