Friday 21 February 2014

Changing Seasons {with Eclectica³ EDY by Alison Bomber}

Hello everyone, Alison here from Words and Pictures, with a project using Darcy's fabulous new stamps... and oh, I had fun with this one!

I started out with just one tag in mind, but before I knew it there were four seasonal variations in front of me.

I started with crackled backgrounds: French Roast underneath, then a layer of Crackle Glaze and then Nougat over the top, with the Crackle Glaze doing its usual magic.  I stamped the trees from EDY06 in Potting Soil Archival and clear embossed them, so that they would hold their own whatever I put over the top. 
 I used one of the lovely borders to create my landscape so the trees had somewhere to sit.
I applied my sky (mainly done with washes of Ice BlueSky and a hint of Beach Hut in the mix in summer) and grass colours mainly with a natural sponge, blending darker colours over the lighter ones from the edges to create layers and depth.
In Spring, there's just a light sponging of Limelight and Hey Pesto for the new leaf growth, and there's just a touch of Nougat to highlight the tree blossom.  Adorable little spring buds are popping up around the foot of the tree. ( from EDY05)
In Summer, the flowers have bloomed beautifully - with Nougat and Beach Hut "petals", and the grasses are growing wild and free.
Up in the tree, the blossoms have given way to big bold leaves, now darkening with some added Hyde Park for that rich fertile green of summer.
Come Autumn and those same leaves are turning to Autumn Fire mingled with Hey Pesto, and there are glossy Cinnamon conkers in the tree (no idea what species this is!).  The mushrooms sprouting from between the tree roots have variations on the same colour tones, while the grasses are also on the turn.  I stamped the stems of the flowers upside down to get some extra grassy texture.
By Winter, everything else has faded away and the bare boughs of the tree are revealed in stark beauty against the wintry Antarctic sky.
The words are stamped on a strip cut from my first tag which hadn't had the tree embossed and so all went belly up when I tried to restamp the tree over the top and missed my mark.  Still, that gave me a lovely background for the sentiment on the finished project!
All mounted on corrugated cardboard (of course!), and some natural raffia toppings... and there you have it.
Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I'll see you again soon.  Alison. 


A huge thank you to Alison from all at PaperArtsy HQ. This is a fabulous board which I had the pleasure of seeing in real life. How clever to create 4 different seasons with the one tree. I just love the story you weave as the colours change, bringing life to each of the tags. 

If you would like to join in our weekly challenge with any of this week's guest who have blogged since Sunday night, then join in to link up your creativity HERE you will go in the draw to win PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by17:00 (London time) Sunday 23rd Feb 2014

39 comments:

Dana said...

Fantastic! Love the crackle backgrounds =0)

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is just adorable, Alison. Such an imaginative use of the stamps! I always think the four seasons are so difficult to do and you have done it so perfectly with just a small number of stamps,

Lucy x

Helen said...

Brilliant to do all four seasons and they each look gorgeous.

Annie Stamps said...

Love those stamps, they are fresh:)

craftimamma said...

Fab idea Alison and your tags really do give the feel of each of the seasons. I love the green 'haze' of leaf buds on the Spring tag ... something I always love to see when driving up the A1 to visit my daughter. Beautiful work as always.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Deborah Wainwright said...

Wow love your seasonal tags. They are all fab but particularly love your spring. It is my fav season and you have captured it wonderfully.

Clare Lloyd said...

fabulous work. x

Hazel Agnew said...

Love the corrugated base, perfect to set off the crackle backgrounds. Attention to detail in the foreground of each tree is genius, so well thought out. The descriptions are very lyrical too. Enjoyed looking and reading, thanks Alison. X

yoursartfully said...

This is a fabulous project Alison. I too was lucky enough to see it in real life, it's really is beautiful.

Lin

Kathi said...

Absolutely wonderful. I love all the great details.

I long for spring as I have had enough of "stark beauty", not to mention SNOW!!!

Unknown said...

wonderful-so much to look at, so many details to take in!

ionabunny said...

Love this tree stamp and love what you have done with it

Jenny Marples said...

A beautiful way to portray four seasons and what fantastic stamp sets. No wonder you wanted to play so much. Love them Alison. Jenny x

Fliss said...

An absolute stunner Alison and such wonderful use of the gorgeous new stamps which will now be on my wish list.
Fliss xx

Unknown said...

Fantastic tags, love the stamps x

ellen vargo designs said...

Lovely seasonal collection!

Redanne said...

How very clever to make the stamp work for all the seasons, shows how versatile it is (and you are!). Your tags are incredible. Anne x

Amanda said...

What a fabulous quartet and beautifully created, stunning
Love
Amanda x

Anonymous said...

I love that tree stamp & your project is fantastic Alison & really beautiful.

whyducks said...

How lovely

Paper Profusion said...

Beautiful work Alison - these look fabulous! I hope you display them prominently for others to enjoy. Nicola x

Linda M. Cain said...

Great collection. I'm so ready for your Spring tag!

~Linda

Anonymous said...

You beautifully captured the four seasons, sometimes we experience them all in one day (always makes me think of Crowded House - am I showing my 45 years of age by saying that?!)
Lovely fresh colours.
Wishes
Lynne

Julie Lee said...

I adore Darcy's tree and you have used it so effectively. Perfectly lovely make. Julie Ann xxx

APG Jamie said...

super tags ^5

Art By Wanda said...

It's wonderful, Allison!!!

barbarayaya62 said...

Wonderful tags Alison!!!! BArbarayaya

massofhair said...

Treetastic Tags Alison! Love seeing the seasons in all their Darcy glory. Would look amazing in a frame hung up overlooking a garden.

An inspirational set of Tags, thank you:-) xxx

May said...

Gorgeous stamps Alison... WOW How you have showcased these is amazing..Beautiful seasonal collection....Love the crackle... Hugs May x x x

Sandy said...

You are indeed clever and creative - wonderful make Sugar!
sandy xx

froebelsternchen said...

BREATHTAKING designs Alison!

cathylynn said...

Four seasons portrayed to perfection! Each one is so stunning. Love the crackle and those stamps are fabulous. Great work Alison!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Dianne said...

Oh Miss Alison you are so clever, what a fantastic idea to use them in this way, your crackling is superb, the different scenes are spectacular, the natural raffia is perfect and of course then all on the corrugate, superb piec of art work, thanks for sharing..

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I love your take on the 4 seasons. I want one of those trees in my yard. I know we don't know what it is but I'm sure it is pollen free!!!!

Cocofolies said...

Wow, what a fabulous set of seasonal tags on corrugated board!!!!! Fantastic idea, and the result is stunning. Hugs, Coco xxx

Junikind said...

That's so fantastic, I love it!
Heike

Maggie said...

Stunning set of tags Alison with these gorgeous new stamp sets.

MaggieH

Jools Robertson said...

This is so beautiful, what a brilliant way to use the stamps for all seasons
Love the retro colours and gorgeous crackle effect
So insprational as always

Jools x

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow absolutely gorgeous stunning hanging, I love how you have taken Darcys stamps and really thought out of the box, the tags represents the seasons perfectly :-) Kezzy xxx