Jo Myhill Project #3 Inspired By Wallpaper ....

We welcome back the lovely Jo Myhill, with her final piece this week, if muted metallic is your thing, then read on!

"I love looking at interior design magazines especially the high end of the market ones that have very expensive wallpaper that you couldn’t event afford to do a feature wall let alone a whole room!  This piece is inspired by the repeat patterns you get on wallpaper and uses a simple neutral monochrome paint scheme".

I started with a PaperArtsy Paper-covered #9 Greyboard tag and added a couple of layers of Taupe. On the third layer I mixed a little Mud Splat to give a slightly darker colour.

Over this I added a layer of Crackle Glaze (I use a credit card to scrape mine on in a thin layer) and left that to dry.

Next I took a piece of Smoothy Heavyweight white card and added lots of layers of a mix of Pewter, Claret  and French Roast to give a really deep chocolatey-plum colour all over the card.

Once the crackle glaze was dry on the greyboard tag I added the top coat of Stone Fresco.  I wanted fine lines so I didn’t load the paintbrush with too much paint and used short strokes all over the board.  Once that started to crack I helped it along with the heat gun.  I sanded the edges with a sanding block very lightly and edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Using the hinge-handle thingy stamp from HP1103 ...

...I stamped it all over the board in Elephant Fresco Paint. 

I started in the middle of the board with the first stamp and then did the top and bottom.  Then moved the stamp up or down the board so the “ends” of the stamp sort of fitted in to the spaces to create an all over repeating pattern. 

I wanted to add flowers to the board so using one of the flower stamps from ELB01 

I stamped on the reverse of the dark-painted Smoothy card in Maroon Archival ink. 

I wanted the shape but not necessary the stamped image!  I cut out three of these. Yes I guess I could have used the eclectica Bloom die! Same outcome, different method ;)

I embossed the flowers in a dot embossing folder and then carefully added Pewter Treasure Gold to lightly highlight the dots. I edged the petals of the flowers with VersaMark embossing ink and used WOW Metallic Platinum powder to edge the flowers and add a different texture to the dots.  I also added the embossing powder to the back of the flowers as I was going to curl up the edges of the petals.

On a piece of the dark-painted smoothy card I added some more Pewter Treasure Gold, not too much as I didn’t want an opaque coverage, I wanted it to look shabby.  I also sanded it just to distress further.  

Using the chemistry table stamp from Eclectica Series (Sara Naumann) ESN07 I embossed this with WOW Metallic Platinum, again for texture. I cut it out and distressed the edges with a Tonic tool and edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. 

On another piece of the PaperArtsy Smoothy Card I added some Elephant Fresco Paint, again I just misted the Cut-n-Dry I’d previously used to ink the 'handle-hinge' stamp with water and used that to add colour. Just keep adding layers drying in-between.  

Then I sanded this and stamped the 'solitary artist' stamp from ESN07 in Maroon Archival. This was cut into strips and edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Everything was stuck down with a hot glue gun and then I thought the flowers really did need something in the middle of them.  I looked at my button collection and considered Mother of Pearl buttons but I thought I needed to keep the metal look going so turned to my metal embellishments box and found these flowers.  They were gold so I just put some Pewter Treasure Gold over the top.

I’m really pleased with how the handle stamp works on creating a background and the tonal quality of the neutral palette really works. I do hope you have a go at some or all of the ideas in tonight’s piece.

Leandra Says: Fabulous Jo. I adore the addition texture and solidity the melted embossing powder gives to the edges of those flowers, and the subtle use of Treasure Gold certainly gives that shabby metallic touch that you love so much. These colours are so totally YOU! Thanks for a wonderful week.

Gillian Says: Fab, love your neutral colour palette and the effect of the embossing. Thank you again for another week of great projects.

Jo Myhill Project #2 Creating A Master Board ....

Jo Myhill is back tonight.... and this time she's into shades of green!

"Today I thought I’d have a go at creating my own patterned paper that I could cut up and use in different ways".

Start by taking a piece of 12x12 and squirt a blob of paint directly on the paper, I used Tinned Peas. Then using a scraper like an old credit card spread the paint around all over the paper, try not to get lines by going over and over the paint. Let this dry.

Then take a second colour, this time South Pacific and squirt this on the paper and again spread out with your scraper. Move your paper round so the paint goes in a different direction.  Let this dry.

Take a piece of greyboard and stick scraps of text paper all-round the edge with Multi Medium (Matte). Go over the top with the Multi Medium (Matte) again using the scraper (hence the bits of blue, but that doesn’t matter as we will be painting it). Set this aside to dry.

Go back to the green 12x12 master board and start adding some stencilling. A 6x6 stencil works a treat as it four times on a piece of 12x12! I used Tinned Peas again with a touch of Hyde Park just to add some tone. You don’t want it to be too obvious. 

Carefully go over the whole sheet with a sanding block to smooth everything over and help the stencilling fade into the background.  Now stamp in the map from HPXT01 in Aquamarine Archival Ink. It’s very subtle note on the lighter bits it looks a bit like a crackle effect.

Now using Sage stamp the long numbers from HP1102 over the whole page, alternating the direction (vertical and horizontal). 

With a mixture of Hey Pesto and Sage add the circle stamp from the same plate. For both lots of stamping do first and second stamping before re-adding paint to the stamp. The second impression gives a faded image. Leave that to dry.

Go back to the greyboard and trim the excess paper from the edge and lightly sand the edge. Start adding layers of Hyde Park, not too thick as you still want to see the text. Then thin layers of South Pacific and finally a thin layer of Sage. I used Cut N Dry foam and I don’t press too hard, just lightly drag the sponge across the page. You can always add more until you get the depth of coverage you want. The board will start to turn from green to teal with the addition of South Pacific.

{Leandra adds colour mixing tip: If you want to make teal or turquoise shades, mix any green and blue combination together. I love sky and guacamole with a dash of south pacific for a duck egg blue, but using the darker tones like Pea Coat/ Hyde Park, Baltic Blue/ Toad hall, created some fabulous shades of blue-green! Try it}

Back to the master board. Cut a 6x6 square and distress the edges by roughing them up either with Scissors or a Distressing Tool.  Add Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges and also the edge of the Greyboard. On both pieces add line of Claret paint with your credit card.  Now stick the 6x6 to the Greyboard.

With the remaining card cut some ATCs (I used a die) and run them through an embossing folder. Lightly and really gently (you don’t want to tear the paper) use a Sanding Block to reveal the white core of the paper.  It takes a while but just keep gently sanding. Edge the ATC'S with Antique Photo Distress Ink.

On a spare bit of master board rub some Sage paint on and stamp the clock face from HP1102 in Potting Soil Archival Ink, dry and cut out. Lightly add some Aquamarine Archival Ink on the edges and the front of the clock face. 

HP1102

Using a really small Kraft Tag, lightly add some Sage paint (I tend to add a bit of water to mine already on the Cut N Dry foam and use that to add a light touch of colour). Sage is opaque, so if you don't add water, you will obliterate the stamped image. Stamp the wood stamp from HP1102 in Potting Soil Archival and then the hand from the same plate in Olive Archival Ink.

Now you can start sticking the top layers onto the mount board.  I use a hot glue gun so I can get some height on each layer, but good foam pads would work too.  Finally add a toning button on the tag.

So I hope you like this shabby grungy look and it inspires you to have a go at some or all of the elements.

Join me tomorrow night for my final project of the week. Jo x

Leandra Says: I love it when you stick to a colour group, but you still manage to create interesting tonal variations along the way. Great ideas Jo, we all have papers lying around that could do with this treatment!

Gillian Says: What a great way to create your own custom master board by using up those unloved 12x12 papers, the stencilled layers look brill.

Welcome Back Jo Myhill Project #1 Shrink Plastic ....

Here we are at the final week of the second month of this Semester. A huge welcome back Jo Myhill ! Grab a cuppa and sit back and enjoy. {...before this nasty storm hits the UK...stay safe everyone! Lets hope it's a fizzer and doesn't cause all the damage predicted}

"Thanks to everyone who commented on my first guest designer week, it was great to hear how much you liked what I made and see how you interpreted it, even if my pieces were a bit complex and contained lots of techniques! So I hope you like the creations from me this week and pick some techniques to try out and have fun with"!

Shrink plastic, it can be a difficult thing to use, but you can get some great results. I really like how you can get really solid thick shapes and how the colour intensifies as you shrink.   I’ve used hearts before to make flower heads but wanted to see how they would work with shrink plastic.

I used two 10x10cm wood frames as my starting point. I wanted quite a shabby feminine colour scheme so I started by painting the whole frame in Mud Splat on the front, the sides and the back but not inside the aperture.

Next a layer of Spanish Mulberry, this was a new colour that I hadn’t been opened.  It’s gorgeous but I wanted it just a bit darker so mixed in a little bit of Mud Splat on my craft mat. Using Cut N Dry I kept adding layers of paint on the front of the frame until the Cut N Dry was well dry! I lightly sanded the front with a sanding block just to give a smoother finish.

On the inside of the aperture I painted Vintage Lace, it didn’t matter if I got a bit on the front of the frame as this is going to be the next layer of paint on the front of the frame anyway.

Next a thin layer of Crackle Glaze, not too thickly. I tend to use an old credit card to scrape mine on. If you haven't used it before, check out Leandra's video below on crackle, it really is simple, and a thick layer of crackle does not give you thick cracks, its all about how you apply the top coat that determines the size of the cracks you get.

It's important the the crackle glaze is totally dry before you apply the top coat, you can use a heat gun to speed it up. I mixed Vintage Lace and Blush, I mixed quite a lot as I wanted a thick layer to give me big cracks. Using a brush, I loaded it up with paint and added short strokes of paint over the front of the frame. Across the top, down the sides and then the bottom.  Remember don’t go over where you’ve already painted, if you miss a bit it just adds to the shabbiness. Once this started to crack I used my heat gun to speed things along.

I was really pleased as the thick top coat gave me lovely deep big cracks to get the real shabby look. 

With the spare mix of Vintage Lace and Blush I lightly brushed it along the sides of the frame, I still wanted the Mud Splat to peep through and look very shabby and weathered.

On the front of the frame I wanted to add a little bit of colour to add to the shabby look, so put a little bit of Chocolate Pudding on my craft mat and lightly dabbed some Cut N Dry foam in it, took the excess off and gently started to add some colour to the front by rubbing very lightly in small circular motions. Not all over just in the corners. You can hardly see it but it just adds to the dirtiness of the look.

Now for some stamping. On the sides of the frame I stamped the border stamp from HP1102 in Potting Shed Archival Ink. 

HP1102 

Once it was dry I lightly sanded with sand paper to reveal some of the grain of the wood and tone down the stamping so it looks as though it’s fading into the background.

On the front of the frame I used Mini 74 again in Potting Shed Archival. I first stamped on scrap paper and then used the second impression on the frame as I wanted it to be very subtle. 

Mini 74

 

Now I have a confession here, I was so engrossed in the stamping I forgot to take any pictures at this stage, so here is one of the finished pieces to show the stamping on the side – sorry that it's blurry !

Around the outside edge and the inner edge I first used a little bit of Chocolate Pudding and then on top used Ruby Treasure Gold using my finger to gently rub along the edges. It adds to the tonal quality and also edges and frames the work so the eye focuses on where it’s supposed to focus, ie. the central focal point and not go wandering off all over the place!

Next the shrink plastic I used a sheet of opaque and painted it in Blush and then Rose. 

Once this was dry I stamped the roses from HP1104 all over in Sepia Archival Ink and some small clocks from HPXT01, then patiently waited for it to dry! 

HP1104 

HPXT01 

One dry I cut out the clocks and used the Full Heart die to cut out six hearts. I then started to shrink them all using my heat gun, always a scary moment to see if it works. When it’s shrunk I quickly stamp the back of a wood or acrylic stamping block over the shrink shape to flatten it.

Whilst they cooled completely I went back to the frame. In the aperture I wanted to put some Crunchy Wax Kraft Paper in to add some more texture. I roughly cut a square the same shape as the frame and scrunched it up a few times, carefully opening it open to scrunch it another way. I needed the Crunchy to sit quite tall in the aperture so used some off cuts of easy mount to fill the aperture and then ease the Crunchy in to fill the space. I used a hot glue gun to stick it in. 

Back to the shrink hearts. I used Ruby and Onxyite Treasure Gold to edge the petals.

For the flower I cut a circle of card to use as a base. I added a blob of hot glue and carefully started sticking the petals down to make a flower. I have to admit this was fiddly. In the centre I used one of the clocks. For the other frame I just stuck the last heart on top of the Crunchy.

Well I think it worked really well and I like both of them. The single heart is something I’d quite like to revisit and use in a different way – um thinking cap on!

See you back here tomorrow night. Jo x

Leandra Says: Funnily enough, Darcy and I were just talking about using hearts to make flowers on Friday... but not with shrink. I love the attention to detail on the frames, and I'm thinking these would make great gifts for December perhaps for teachers and friends....I might start a production line in all kinds of colours!!

Gillian Says: Fab little home decor pieces Jo, love those big deep crackles and the rustic feel from the Crunchy Wax Paper.