Travel Water Pot {with Eclectica³ Darcy stamps by Designer Darcy Wilkinson}

Hi everyone Darcy here. I have been really busy making samples for the Stevenage show with my new stamps. This is one of my samples that will be on the demo desk, but it also has a practical use as it is a handy dandy travelling water pot.  The components fold flat, so this would easily slip in your bag to take to a crop or art group. 

I started by making a bag. I used a white polycotton, just as that is what fell out of the cupboard first. but any heavyweight fabric would do. I cut 4 pieces for the sides and 1 piece for the bottom.  I made a card template to ensure all pieces were the right size. The bottom is square, and the sides have a little extra in the height. 

I stitched the 4 side pieces together first, effectively making a tube, then I pinned on the bottom and stitched that into place. I then folded over the extra bit at the top of each side piece and stitched those down. As I did that I trapped in the handles. Any heavy tape or webbing would work as the handles. I felt the bag needed a stronger bottom, so I cut 2 slightly smaller squares of fabric, stitched those together on 3 sides and then slipped in a square of plastic (cut from a flexible chopping board) Then I handstitched the 4th side closed. 

To add even more strength and to create a good base for painting, I applied 3 coats of gesso to all of the inside and all of the outside, and to both sides of the base insert. 

I then started to add colour, starting with the deepest colours inside at the bottom, and working up to the palest at the rim of the bag. I used Space Cadet , Lake Wanaka and Nougat. 

Now to do the fun part and decorate the outside. At the top I started with Space Cadet, blended that into Lake Wanaka, then added a little Nougat, making sure to blend away the joining lines. Going downwards, I added Sage, then Hey Pesto and finally Green Olives. 

This gave a really nice transition of colours from top to bottom and created the 'sky' and 'grass'. All four sides were painted the same way, then I gently rubbed over them with a babywipe to slightly distress them. 

I knew it would be tricky to stamp onto the bag, so to give myself a solid surface I packed the bag with anything that would fit, in this case a tub of baby wipes and 2 notebooks. 

I painted and stencilled some tissue paper, then stamped my flowers onto the tissue and cut them out. They were glued on using Matte Glaze  The tree was stamped directly to the bag using Chocolate Pudding instead of ink, then the trunk was filled in with more Chocolate Pudding, Brown shed and Nougat. I dabbed on some Green Olives and Sage for the leaves. 

All elements were created the same way. Painted and stencilled tissue paper was stamped on, cut out and glued on. For this piece I used Nougat followed by stencilling in Toffee through a Prima Stencil. 

Then the stamp was added using black archival ink, then the top bits were painted with Autumn Fire and Claret. and again cut out and glued on.  Once all four sides are finished I gave the outside a coat of Matte Glaze just to seal all the bits of tissue paper into place. 

All the images come from my 4 new stamp set that have been added to the Eclectica³ Darcy Collection, here are two of the plates. However the eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted images from the other plates....

Look carefully, see what extra images you can spot!!!

Is that a fairy house I spy, not mush-room in there...

Twinkly night sky ..

A not so furry feline...

I will being demoing with Leandra at Stevenage Stamperama consumer show next Sunday (Feb 9th, 10-4) for the launch of my new stamps. I can't wait for you to see them ALL!.

My new stamps will be available via your local stamp store in the coming weeks. Initially shops will be able to order direct from PaperArtsy the week following Stevenage at the Craft Hobby and Stitch International Trade Show, NEC Birmingham, Feb 16-18. PaperArtsy is stand A42, situated as usual in the back left hand corner of the main hall, with a coffee cart nearby.

If you are a retailer and intend to go to the 'Stitches' trade show, Leandra has organised a fabulous retailer training day where you can enjoy 6 hours of hands-on learning about all thing new from PaperArtsy. You will make 2 projects, one with Lin Brown, and 1 with Jo Firth-Young on Sat Feb 15th, 10.30-5.30. There are still some spaces available, so if you qualify as a trade customer to attend the show, then why not go up a day early, and learn hands-on about the 85 new products PaperArtsy is launching at the show this year - their biggest new release of product ever!  The day costs £48, and you will leave with more than that value in product, your class projects, and lots of ideas and new-product knowledge. This is an opportunity not to be missed for retailers and in-store teachers.

So now the excitement of spot-the-new-stamps is over, let's get back to the bag... how to make it into a water pot. I picked up this little 'lantern water pot' for just £1.99 from an art store. 

The beauty is, that both the bag and the water pot fold down flat. 

But when you need them, they easily pop up into action. 

This was such a fun little project to make, and will hopefully stop me making a drippy mess on the demo table. 

See you soon. Darcy 

If you would like to join in our weekly challenge with any of this week's guests 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 Feb 2nd 2014