Using up the left overs - art journal play.

This summer hasn't been the best of my life and without going into detail, at times it's been pretty depressing. I can't remember the last time I got out my art journal and just 'played' it seems so far away now but last weekend I had the urge to do just that and record a happy time. 

I didn't want to put much thought into it, I simply wanted to go with the flow and do what made me happy and this is what I did.

I keep all my left overs and scraps and these are what I grabbed first. Bits of paper from older projects and even the pieces with die cut shapes out of them (well, you never know when you'll want them right?), a few left over numbers (random) and some sticky backed canvas butterflies from the embossing workshop a while back. It all went down on the page.

I gave it all a coat of white acrylic, not too thick but thick enough to neutralize it all. 

Then came the fun bit. Sub conciously I reached for a paint colour which happened to be Claudine Hellmuth Studio acrylic in Classic Teal, watered it down and painted it on, spraying as I went. I held the book up to let it drip between the texture. It was having the desired effect and I felt content. My daughter even pointed out that I'd used bulldog clips to keep the page flat, in the same colours. It's funny what the sub concious mind can do. 

Once dry I added the chevron stamp with my Glitz roller doodle and Adirondack Stream ink, a couple of old postage stamps and a photo of me doing what I love. I used a K and Co Smash date stamp to show when it was and added a few ink spots with some Dylusions ink sprays.

The quote is from a Chinese proverb which I wrote using a Sakura Micron pen. I love how this pen flows nicely. 

Anyway, there we are, a journal page to cheer myself up, using left overs and what comes naturally.

Jaine x

whatalotta darkroom door stash!

image from of Darkroom Door

or in English – wow, lots of new goodies still arriving!

Good afternoon all, or good evening depending on when you are visiting the blog.

I just wanted to do a quick post to let you know about the arrival of the new Darkroom Door stamps.

This time there are two completely new lines – Quotes & Eclectic, as well as new designs in the Stamp Sets and Photo Stamps. 

All the new stamps are cling mounted, and the Essentials sets also come in their own storage case.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here’s some of the designs…

  

There are six new Quote stamps to choose from.

  

New Essentials Stamp Sets, with these fabulous Carved Birds by Godelieve Tijskens (there are some fabulous samples using these stamps on her blog).

image sample from Darkroom Door

Lots of new Photo Stamps to choose from.

 

The second new range from Darkroom Door are their Eclectic Stamps.  These are a super addition to your stamp collection.

Don’t forget that we stock over 100 unique designs of Darkroom Door stamps, including Background and Frame stamps, as well as the Montage. Photobooth & Photochips!

All I can say now is Happy Stamping!

eureka!

Hello everyone!

Today I wanted to show you my inchies but I had started making them and half way through I thought 'disaster'. I didn't like them and wanted to bin them. But I hate wasting mediums which are still wet! I printed them to a piece of white paper and shouted 'eureka!' ;) The effect was great. Usually I print only wet inks but this time I  had different mediums which gave different textures. I love playing with resin and this is very similar - you never know what you receive at the end!

I only used a few mediums but I need to try more! With gel mediums, pencils, paints etc. will be fun!

This time I used orange Bombay India Ink, turquoise Glimmer Glaze and opal Liquid Pearls

The one with spots

And the other one

Here I used two colours of Dylusions Ink Sprays, Liquid Pearls and turquoise Glimmer Glaze
Picture before printing

The effect

This is what has been left on my original piece of paper

A few more prints

Magda x

It's my job.....

Hello!
A 5" by 5" box canvas to share today....lots of paint and a different colour palette from me....

A bit more 'earthy' in terms of colour, browns, olives and a touch of claret and gold!
Lots of smeary paint layers....

A little texture..

And lots of stamping!
Don't forget to do the edges..

And to colour your figure to match your painty scheme....

Have a great day!
Trish xxx

Project Life

Contrary to my messy painty art journal pages I've also taken up Project Life. It's a nice contrast to the paint, spray, stencil side of me and even though I love all that stuff I still have to have some order in my life.  

I took it up because I'll be the first to admit I'm not really a conventional 12 x 12 scrapper but love to keep ephemera, tickets and use small photo's of day to day life.  Still not one to conform (my usual excuse) I keep an A4 folder for my pages and prefer to cut, stick and re-size to arrange my pages than stick in pockets.

Here I share a page using a sheet of Jenni Bowlin Modern Mercantile paper which is just asking to be cut up for PL.

This is my finished page.

I like to cut up and paste cards together taking parts from one and sticking them onto another. 

I'll just fill in gaps too with cut down cards (sometimes die cut) and I've used this gorgeous tissue tape also by Jenni Bowlin lots. 

Do you Project Life? Let me know if you do. 

Have a good week

Jaine x

You never know

Hello!

I have my favourite products which I use a lot. I'm sure you noticed that almost all my projects are from the same products. Sometimes I try to use different products and techniques to move my brain and feel a new inspiration. Yesterday I took Andy Skinner's skull stencil from my drawer. I forgot about it! Last time I use it in April. But never mind.

Today I have for you a page from my art journal. I use a lot of products and layers. As always it is hard to describe what I used in what order when I make a project like this. I'm not thinking about project, I'm doing it and enjoying.

I used:
- Andy Skinner mask
- Prima Donna Downey mask
- Prima/Finnabair Sunrise Sunset
- Glitz Roller Doodles
- Glitz Your Truly paper
- Jenni Bowlin Moder Mercantile paper
- Jenni Bowlin Red Black Collection 2012
- sticky-back canvas
- Claudine Hellmuth black gesso
- Dr Ph. Martin's Bombay India Ink
- Stampotique stamps
- Ranger Glossy Accents
- Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black
- Ranger Liquid Pearls
- Dylusions Ink Spray
- Sakura Pigma Micron pen
- Tissue paper

Magda x

Texture Heart

Hello!
A simple project from me today.....simple, but with LOADS of texture! All done with the minimum of products too, just tissue paper, paint and crackle medium....

I took a wooden heart (I bought loads of these last Christmas from my local cheapie shop..£1.50 each- bargain!), and covered it with crumpled tissue paper. I used the 'composer' tissue wrap from Tim H, but as you can only see texture, not design it really doesn't matter what is actually on the paper!
I glued it down with a glue stick, making sure the crumples stayed that way! I then built up some painty colour, starting with brown paint, and adding a little dark red. Once this was dry, I covered the whole thing with clear crackle paint.
Once the crackly magic had happened, I then went in with more paint, a little black, gold and red again...

Don't forget to do the sides!

I finished off the heart by adding a rusty wire hanger, and some gingham ribbon...

A tiny word cut from an old book page was my last touch!
This kind of depth is easy, just keep adding and adding, building up thin layer after thin layer. Too much colour? Wipe it off with a baby wipe whilst still wet. Easy!
Have fun!
Trish xxxx

Ephemera album part 2

Well as promised here are the inside pages from the mini album I showed you last week.  I used the bits and pieces found whilst cleaning out the house of my Parents-in-law a couple of weeks ago and while the photo's are not the main items on the pages as they're either too small, unknown or un-important, it's the ephemera which is the star in this album.

This album is also very economical too as I only used one and a half sheets of patterned paper throughout, Jenni Bowlin "Boy meets Girl" from the  collection  Red Black and White and Finnabair Sunrise and Sunset by Prima

I also had a piece of Bazzil antique paper which fitted in perfectly with it's newsprint background.

As if it wasn't distressed enough I flicked over a few drops of Mr Hueys Classic Tan ink.

The background page below is covered with Glitz Design paper layers and embellished with another Jenni Bowlin deck card

I sneaked in some gorgeous washi tape by Jenni Bowlin in this sage lace pattern.

I hope it shows you that you needn't make an album of just photo's as sometimes you may have a collection of ephemera which is crying out to be used.

Have a good week and I'll see you next week.

Jaine x