Helen Chilton #1 Mad As A Hatter ....

"I can't believe this is my last week of posts for the PaperArtsy blog - where has the time gone?

This week, at Leandra's suggestion,  I've taken my inspiration from a piece of work I did for a PaperArtsy competition several years ago - the theme was 'think outside the box' so I did and stamped up a small wooden table I got from Ikea. I used Ink and the Dog stamps as they hadn't even started making the Hot Picks then.

I sprayed directly onto the table with inks, stamped in StazOn black and then coloured over the ink with pencils".

Even down the legs and round the edge

The bits on top are Stampbord coasters.

The wood stamped up beautifully and the designs fit really well.

With this project in mind, I thought I'd get the same stamps out again from Ink And The Dog Collection PierrotPlates 1 to 4

Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Plate 4

Combined with the triple arches from Architecture Plate 1

I took a block of wood, roughly cube shaped, that I got as an off cut from a local timber yard - if they cut wood on the premises, you'll often find they sell the odds and ends very cheaply for fire wood - they do give me funny looks as I rummage through for the best shaped pieces!

I didn't stamp straight onto the wood this time, but gave it a coat of Snowflake Fresco Paint first and then started splatting it with Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Distress Stains (very therapeutic, this!)

Next, blot the ink splats.

Build up the colour and then add Distress Stain (Squeezed Lemonade).

Then blot it straight back off again. Just look at those splats!

Then,using Distress Ink Pads in the same colours, start stamping over the top with the Pierrot text stamp.

 

 

After that stamp the arches with StazOn Black Ink.

If it goes wrong, you can wipe it off with a baby wipe, but you'll probably have to go right back to the beginning.

 

Mask off each arch separately and stamp a clown. Repeat on all sides with a different variety of images.

{Note: to get good coverage, I didn't use a block. If I'm only using a part of an image and placement is important (i.e. fitting the right bit in the arch) I'll draw on the back of the stamp to show where the part of the image is}.

  

Next add text in black, colour in with pencils.

  

and highlight with Snowflake Paint.

Mark the centre of the top, make a hole and insert a picture holder made out of garden wire.

Paint with Fresco Acrylic Paint in Snowflake and then Distress Stains.

Add a white card ruffle and glue down along with the picture holder and beads.

I die cut my ruffle with the Tim Holtz Mini Paper Rosettes Decorative Strip - you could concertina fold your own strip of card if you don't have this die. The ink on the folds happened by accident when I put it down on the wet Distress Stains.

Finish off with buttons, some stamped.

I made a small card in the same way to go on the top, this time splatting the background with Picket Fence Distress Stain.

This is the other side.

Join me again tomorrow night for another fun project, best grab yourself a cuppa, it's going to be a long one.

Inspired by Helen's first project, simply click HERE to upload/share your project with us to be in with a chance of winning Fresco Acrylic Paints.

Leandra Says: This collection is an old favourite at PA HQ, the work that went into that altered table is astonishing Helen, a real talking piece.

Gillian Says: Love this whimsical project Helen, the bright fun colours work so well with that stamp collection ... *scratches head and wonders why I don't own any of these fun stamps*