Serenity Art Doll

Hello!
I'm sharing an Art Doll today... it feels like I haven't made one for ages!
Here she is...

I wanted a nice big chunky shape.... and didn't have one, so created my own! Really easy, I'll show you!

I used the middle part of this Tando Arch set as my front shape:

I then drew around it 6 times on a bit of scrap cardboard....

I then cut all 6 shapes out. As I knew I wanted to glue on a head at some point, I also drew the shape on a bit of thinner chipboard, and added an extra tab at the top. This tabbed shape was then glued down right in the middle of the other shapes!

That's the tab sticking up! As you can see, it's now a really chunky shape that will stand up by itself!
I covered it with old book pages to neaten everything up...

For this particular project, I didn't want the book pages to show through, I just used them as the thin paper is perfect for glueing around curves!
I then painted the whole thing using Dina Wakely paints... fab bright colours. The chunky shape means you can decorate the edges as well!

I stamped some stars onto tissue, then glued them down with Mod Podge. Once dry, I added white dots with a paint pen...

The only wings I could find were corrugated metal ones, but this doesn't matter as the stamped tissue technique means the images can go easily over the corrugations...

I added beads for feet, and a typed word as my title...

Her head was created using two circles of chipboard. The larger one was decorated in the same way as the body, and the smaller one became her face. Sketched then coloured with watercolour pencils...

I added extra dots, I thought it needed framing somehow, I'm not used to people with no hair in my creations I think!
I like how she turned out, and I'll definitely be using cardboard to create more chunky shapes! Much easier to get hold of and less expensive than wooden ones!

 Have a good weekend!
Love Trish xxx

ASOI Products used:
Tando Gothic Arch (the middle bit, not the frame!)
Mod Podge
Dina Wakely paint
1m White Posca Paint pen

A little triptych

Back in the day shall we say, I created a few triptyches (that's so difficult to say) and I'd forgotten how much fun they were.

I decided to recreate that amusement with a quirky and colourful triptych for this months challenge.

I started out with three chipboard pieces from Tando which were in my stash. I didn't have three the same size but in the end I don't think that really matters. I painted the background with Dylusions paints in Turquoise and cut grass, using a foam roller to blend the paint. I used the same paint colours to stencil through Tim Holtz layering stencils which just helped to add some depth to the background.

The adorable fishes are Dylusions stamps and I used Derwent Inktense pencils to colour them in.

To really make their little eyes pop, I added a dot of enamel accents in the centre. I loved the look of the dots so much I used the white one to add the bubbles here and there.

If you fancy joining in the challenge this month just go to the challenge page here and link up to the linky gallery.

Jaine

Flying bird thing.....!!!

Hello!
In between all manner of organising, plotting and planning this week (did I mention I'm the new Craft Stamper Magazine Editor?!?! squeeeeeeee!!!), I actually managed to squish in some crafting time. I made a 'thing'............ with birds on!

My rainbow birds are by Tando. I didn't do anything complicated to them, just painted with bright colours. The wing s are separate parts, so these were glued into place before I doodled and added dots...

The birds were glued to some wire that I had coiled by wrapping around a skewer. The wire was then pushed down the centre of a white painted spool. A little cut up book page 'frill' (or grass maybe?) to hide the hole!
I cut lengths of cord, and knotted it around the spool to decorate. I really love how that turned out, will be doing that again!

Some tiny stickers for the word, and it was done!
A bit mad, a bit quirky...just a 'me' thing lol!!
Have a great week,
Trish xxx

Bee Happy!

It's been quite a while since I shared some inspiration with you here on the Creative Blog, moving house and major surgery has really thrown a spanner into my creative time but I am happy to be sharing a less is more card with you today, holding back to temptation to add some doodling.

Here is my card...

Card ingredients!

Tando Creative Distorted Hive Mask 
Stampotique Big Bee 
Distress Inks ~ Spiced Marmalade & Mustard Seed 
 
I placed the stencil directly onto my card and sponged through the stencil using Distress Inks. The bee image was stamped directly onto the card first of all using the second stamped images (so it appears fainter) and then once onto spare cardstock so that I could cut out the bee and add as a 3D embellishment.

I picked up a little of the Distress Inks left on the stencil with a paint brush to colour in the bee and generated a sentiment on computer. Something I'm going to try and bee a little more often! ;-)

Have a great weekend. Gez 

Sticker background!

Hello!
You are all probably aware that I love backgrounds...using anything and everything to create weird and wonderful textures and designs. I want to share a quick and easy way to use up left over alphabet stickers to create something a little bit different! The end result looks like this...

I'll take you through the stages.....
First, firmly stick down the left over stickers to your surface. I've used a Tando panel for this. If your stickers are old and have lost their stick somewhat, glue them down! You will be adding inks, gesso and water over them, and if they are not stuck down firmly, the stickers will left up from the surface.

Put them on randomly, just keep checking to make sure you haven't spelled a rude word by mistake! Trim around the panel...

Sponge over with gesso to give an even, white base. Sponge because it gives a thinner layer, and you still want to see the shapes of the letters!

At this point, it's up to you as to how you colour the background. Thin layers of paint will work, as will acrylic inks. I've used Dylusions ink sprays. I used  pink and orange, then flicked a few splats of red at it! A little spritz of water to get them all running together, then a blast with a heat gun to dry everything....

This is your basic background, now you can add detail. I have kept it simple, and used black paint splats, a tiny bit of black stamping, and then edged the whole panel....

 Despite all the inks covering the stickers, their shapes still appear, giving a nice interesting look..

My little girl is a Stampotique image. Once stamped, I masked off her head and legs, then stamped with a text stamp to give her dress a little interest.

She is standing on a bit of stripy text paper, left over from my last circles project!

A couple of stars, and a text phrase finish off the whole thing!
I hope you like her...it's a nice way to use up old stickers and create something new!

Trish xxxx

Find Joy In The Ordinary...

Hello!
A simple painty panel from me today, this is a result of a little experiment!
I wanted to see if I could dye crackle paste....

Turns out, you can!
I created a quick and easy smeared paint background on a Tando panel, using blue, yellow and white paint. A little white paint stencilling through some sequin waste..

I then put a little crackle medium in a foil dish, and added some Bombay Ink. Mixed it together, then applied it through a circle stencil...

I found the colour intensity varied depending on the thickness of the paste, but I really like that effect, as well as the crackle! I did a little doodling, both around the circles, and around the edge of the panel..

Rub On words to finish.....

Another successful messy experiment!
Trish xxx

LO by Tanya Privalova

Hi dear crafters!
My name is Tanya :)

Few words about me: My name is Tanya. I live in Ukraine. In scrapbooking I came 3 years ago.My favourite style..my real passion and inspiration is american, shabby and free style. I love create cards (especially mini-cards), layouts and mini-albums . Many details in work and layers...working with paper.. to do something very sweet and pretty ar very very unusual for me personally. there is the things what make me a real happy scrapper)))

I created the LO))))One sweet day on the one of the favourite places in my city.
I used very tender paper by Glitz Design (Carpe Diem collection), Glitz Roller stamp , Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Seven Seas, mask Tando Creative - Sequin Waste, flowers by Prima, ribbon and chipboards.

I added some doodles near the chipboards. 

Have a nice day!

Tanya :)

Over planning kills magic...

Hello

Today I would like to show you another project using Tando chipboard. I used a few different mediums. It's not easy for me to tell you how I made 'step by step' this project that's why I've made a video for you.

I used:

- Tando chipboard

- Stampotique Original stamp

- Glitz Designs Raven: Gray & Titles&Accents

- Claudine Hellmuth Black Gesso

- Ranger Archival Ink

- Hero Arts Ink Dauber

- Jenni Bowlin Grey Skinny Alpha

- Dr.Ph.Martin's Bombay India Ink

- Dylusions Ink Sprays

Magda x

Follow The Star: A Christmas Fairy!

Hello!
Today I want to share a little seasonal assemblage.....an Art Doll Christmas Fairy!

Now this may look a bit complicated.....but it really isn't! To prove it, I'll take you through the whole process, so grab a cuppa and get comfy, there are a lot of pictures to share!

The main body of my art doll is a Tando chipboard arch. Great shape for a body, and a nice sized niche to put things in! We need to use the arch as a guide to sketch out the legs for the fairy...

Nothing fancy, just a rough sketch on a bit of thick card. Cut the legs out, and paint them. The legs for my fairy are stripy, with turquoise glitter shoes! The legs need to be attached to the arch in the first stages of this make. There are five layers in the completed arch, so glue two together, then glue the legs on top...

Now glue the on the other three layers, making a leg sandwich!

Don't worry about messy glue at this point, its about to get covered! Now, we need to turn our attention to the inside of the arch, as this will be near on impossible to get at properly once the back is on! Cover the inside with torn up music paper...

Then decorate. I have given the paper a wash of white paint, smeared on a little turquoise paint then sprinkled with white UTEE. Once melted, this looks like snow showers!

We can now concentrate on the back of the arch. This is much easier to decorate before you glue it together! I have covered the arch with music paper and given it a wash of white paint....

Then smeared on a little turquoise....

I then silver embossed a flourish, roughly stamped a few snowflakes and added more UTEE 'snow'!

This can now be glued onto the arch frame....

The outside of the arch now needs our attention! Cover the lot with more music paper, making sure to go right around onto the reverse, as this will also make the back of the arch more secure...

Decorate this as well......

We can add in all the bits and bobs to the niche at this point! I've used a small Idea-ology tree (with the round base removed) along with a couple of tiny vintage trees I had in my stash. The twinkly stars are also Idea-ology...

We can work on the wings next. Bend and shape some wire into oval wing shapes..

Glue these to music paper using Glossy Accents....

Once dry, cut out....

Next, carefully fill in the oval frames with more Glossy Accents, sprinkling a little distress glitter over them too....

You will need six of these if you follow my design....but two can be just as effective! Once dry, group the wings together and twist the wire 'tails' so they are joined....

Whilst you have the wire out, you need to make arms too! Bend and twist the wire to do this, you may need to practice a few times to get the length and shape just right!

Once you have the wings and arms ready, you can glue them to the back of the arch body....

We also need to glue the support 'post' to the back of the arch whilst we're at it! This will help the fairy stand upright on her plinth. I've used a wooden chopstick for this. Cover with music paper and a wash of white paint..... (do the same to the driftwood plinth whilst you're at it!)

Once dry, it can be glued to the back along with the arms and wings...

Now, this is clearly a huge mess of hot glue and untidy edges! To rectify this, decorate the back just as we did the front and sides! Music paper, paint and melted white UTEE...

Much better!
Next, stamp a head (Stampotique) and colour her face...

Colour a large Idea-ology star with alcohol ink....

Glue the star to the head, and add to the fairy body...

Now we can glue the whole thing to the base. This needs lots of hot glue, and don't forget you'll need to hold it in place until it sets hard!

The falling stars being held by the fairy are more Idea-ology mirror stars, simply stuck to a strip of acetate.

The acetate is glued around the fairy hand at one end...

and to the base at the other end....

All the hot glue mess on the base needs some attention....so cover it up with large flaked white glitter, and a few polystyrene balls (from an old beanbag!) to look like snowballs!
The starry base...

The fairy now looks like she is standing in a small snowdrift....

The fairy is all finished!!!!
Lots of little details to draw the eye..... Christmas songs on the musical wings....

Turquoise glitter on the trees...

The clear acetate making the falling stars look suspended in mid air...

and a little typed phrase to finish it all off nicely...

Phew...that was a photo marathon and a half!
I had a ball making her, and I hope you like her too!

Love Trish xxx