2021 Topic 9: Baubles & Bling with I&D {by Helen Chilton}

 2021 Topic 9: Baubles & Bling

It might not be cool Christmas weather and Helen has brought 'heat' to the topic with warm fiery colours. She's definitely added the 'bling' but it still retains a beautifully restrained artsy style. I love how she's used the Relief Foil Paste on so many different elements and look out for the diamante leaves!
~ Keren.

Hi everyone, it's Helen with you today, and I'm here to share with you my Baubles and Bling project - yes, Christmas in June (that's when I made it!) I've not used my usual Christmas colours but bright orange and red, which are quite hot and summery, and teamed them up with icy white and silver. And boy, have I added bling! I figured if it was going to be sparkly I might as well go all out. I've used a lot of Grunge Paste stencilling, some of it foiled, some of it stamped over, some of it outlined and all of it creating great texture.

I started with an 8x8 canvas board and the Grunge Paste.

I'm actually using the reverse of the board and both text and image stencils.

Both stencils are by Sara Naumann - I like her designs. I don't know what it is, they just appeal to me, maybe because they contain different shapes and elements so you can use them whole or just in sections.

 

I wanted to get some colour on so have stamped right over the stencilling.

I don't bother with a block for this, just dip in the paint and go for it.

The stamps used here are Ink and the Dog. Love how the paint colours work so well together.

The baubles were stamped in coordinating inks and then painted with the same colours, using a stamping platform. Leave the stamps on there. To add some shimmer and shine I thought I'd overstamp with foiling gel. I used Rich Hobby 3D Relief Foil Paste. You could also use a sticky embossing powder.

 

Dab on lightly, let dry slightly...

...and then rub on the foil:

I was really pleased with the detail it picked up. 

I love the way these baubles have got dimension - you can see the curve.

You can add foiling to the Grunge Paste in the same way. Reapply the stencil and sponge on the foiling medium.

Don't expect perfect coverage - you're going for a textured effect.

Add definition with a Posca pen.

I wasn't sure if I liked that after I'd done it, so smudged it out a little.

I made a larger bauble using the same techniques.

And went to town blinging it up!

Bling the three smaller ones and wire them up.

You can really pick out the foiling here.

I decided to make the big bauble because it fits well into the circular stencilling...

..and you can get more bling on!

Finishing touches.

I have to admit when I thought of baubles and bling in June, my heart sank just a teeny bit. However it proved to be a really fun project, in part I suspect, because of all the bling and also because I used colours that were different for me. 

I also discovered that you can stamp and stencil with the foiling gel and get a good image, a technique I'm definitely going to use again. It also works really well with embellishments - see the foiled metal name plate. 

Believe it or not, the silk ties on the side go back to a project I made last year - the typography art doll with the torn silk skirt. Knew the scraps would come in useful!

Hope this has inspired you to get out your Ink and the Dog stamps (some wonderful images there) and your bling!

Helen

Blog: A Splash of Colour 

2021 Topic 9 : Baubles & Bling {Topic Introduction}

2020 Topic  9 - Baubles and Bling

Hi everyone, Keren here with a slightly unseasonal topic (or is it?!). We'll head straight for the obvious and go to Christmas! We have Germany to thank for so many of our 'traditional' traditions. The tree, tinsel and the beautiful bauble all originated from there and from Lauscha in the instance of the bauble. Baubles were originally shaped as fruit and nuts and developed from there. They were originally glass with mercury and lead embellishments, a far cry from so many of our plastic ornaments.

Popularity of baubles in the UK exploded after Queen Victoria had a picture of her, Albert and the family with their decorated Christmas tree published in the newspapers. For many, baubles weren't affordable until plastic ornaments were developed. 

History With Rosie

But are baubles just for Christmas? 'Bauble' can also be defined as another descriptive word for a ring or trinket; something shiny and decorative. I wonder if any of our bloggers will be designing trinkets?

Here's a bauble 'bauble' !!

Source

I can't imagine that we'll see any designers creating the final 'bauble' definition which is the sceptre of a jester, but I'd love to be proved wrong. Beginning with our PaperArtsy bloggers, we'll see what jewels we can unearth.

Kay Carley is not one to shy away from sparkle and these baubles are no exception.

PaperArtsy Blog

Alison Bomber has done a real masterclass in different bauble designs. Here's a beautiful one to whet your appetite.

PaperArtsy Blog

If you like raiding your cupboards, have you tried the old shaving foam technique? Miriam Grazier has created some cool and crisp baubles with added embossing.

PaperArtsy Blog

Lastly, Darcy Marshall created a gorgeous dimensional bauble using paper, paint and more. So many good ideas!

PaperArtsy Blog

Isobel Moore is a wonderful fabric and textile artist. Aren't these baubles stunning?

Isobel Moore

If textiles and sewing aren't your thing, maybe these striking origami baubles might intrigue.

Paperchase

Baubles don't need to just be seasonal. How about these hand painted ornaments.

Lindsay Brackeen

Let's move away a little from baubles and go to trinkets. Trinkets could be a wide variety of items, but I thought these soldered ones were a great place to start. Makes you want to order a soldering iron doesn't it!

Beehive Art Salon

Creating an electic mix of elements to make unique jewellery is a special skill. These are by Anna Hanna.

Anna Hanna

Let's move, before we finish, to the topic of bling. Efemera likes adding bling to her pieced and inked backgrounds.

Efemera

Coming nearly full circle back to Christmas. Tinsel (which again came from Germany and was originally made from metal), features on this tag and brings a more subtle 'bling' to proceedings.

Bluebird Paperie

We've showcased this project before, but vintage bling is a category all by itself. Scrapcosy does it seemingly effortlessly and shows that bling can be subtle and pared back.

PaperArtsy Blog

If you're looking for glitter techniques, then Nikki Acton has 3, and even though she's using lots of glitter, it doesn't seem overdone.

PaperArtsy Blog

The last project is using a tiny amount of bling- showing that it can be a gentle nod to bling rather than a full throttled in your face effect. Autumn's simple embossed star lifts the design so elegantly.

PaperArtsy Blog

For some of you, I suspect that the idea of bling and baubles might seem one step too far, but hopefully this collection of projects might inspire you to join in too.

If you want to create along with us while we explore this topic, please share your makes on our social feeds so we can follow along. Instagram @paperartsy or why not join us and post in the PaperArtsy People Group on Facebook. Make sure you tag us in your contributions, we love to see what you get up to in your creative world!